Libyan National Army urges young people in Tripoli to support its assault on the city

The Libyan National Army called on young people living in Tripoli to back its offensive on the city as it tries to oust the militias and extremist groups it says run the capital.

That came only days after the UAE, US, UK, Egypt, France and Italy released a joint statement urging all parties to stop fighting in Libya and return to the UN-mediated political process.

The LNA called for support in a post on one of its official Facebook pages.

“The decisive hour is not far,” the head of the LNA mobilisation department, Brig Gen Khaled Al Mahjoub, said. “We are only five kilometres away from the capital – our forces are advancing and they are retracting.”

Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar’s forces launched an offensive on Tripoli in April but failed to make gains as the death toll increased to more than 1,100 and about 100,000 people were displaced.

Libya slid into chaos after the 2011 uprising that toppled Muammar Qaddafi and is split between rival authorities in the east and west, each backed by various militias.

The UN-backed Government of National Accord in Tripoli said it had information that Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar’s LNA forces planned to launch air strikes against important sites in the capital, including Mitiga airport, the city’s only functioning airport.

Claudia Gazzini, a senior analyst with International Crisis Group, said there was little evidence of an escalation in the offensive.

“Based on observations in and around Tripoli and other surrounding cities until yesterday, there was no evidence of major movement of LNA affiliated forces,” she said.

The UN Support Mission in Libya said yesterday it was “doing its utmost with all local and foreign actors to avoid military escalation and to ensure protection of civilians from any targeting”.