U.N.: Libyan deaths pass 1K in fighting

CAIRO — The battle between rival militias for the Libyan capital has killed more than 1,000 people since it began in April, the U.N. said Tuesday, a grim milestone in a stalemated conflict partly fueled by regional powers.

Forces loyal to Khalifa Hifter, a veteran army officer, opened an offensive on Tripoli in early April, advancing on the city’s southern outskirts and clashing with an array of militias loosely affiliated with the U.n.-recognized government.

Hifter’s self-styled Libyan National Army is the largest and best organized of the country’s many militias, and enjoys the support of Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Russia. But it has faced stiff resistance from fighters aligned with the U.n.-recognized government, which is aided by Turkey and Qatar.

The World Health Organization said in a brief statement that 1,048 people have been killed since the offensive began, including 106 civilians. It said 5,558 have been wounded, including 289 civilians.

The battle lines have changed little since the offensive began, with both sides dug in and shelling one another in the southern reaches of the capital. Militias aligned with the government recently recaptured Gharyan, a town some 60 miles west of the city that is on a major supply route.

Libya slid into chaos after the 2011 uprising that toppled and killed long-ruling dictator Moammar Gadhafi. Armed groups have proliferated, and the country has emerged as a major transit point for migrants fleeing war and poverty for a better life in Europe.

Hifter’s supporters say he is the only leader who can end militia rule, reunite the country and keep it from being a safe haven for terrorists.

But his critics view him as an aspiring strongman.