Benghazi, Libya, April 3, 2019 – Forces loyal to Libyan military strongman Khalifa Haftar are preparing to advance on the country’s west, including the capital Tripoli, a spokesman said Wednesday. He launched an offensive into oil-rich southern Libya in January ostensibly aimed at wiping out “terrorists” and criminal groups. The force’s press office said on Facebook earlier that “several units had headed “to the western region to cleanse it of the remaining terrorist groups”. Haftar’s advance into southern Libya has been helped by some local support. Wednesday’s announcement comes ahead of a UN-backed conference in mid-April aimed at laying out a roadmap to stabilise the country.

Source: The North Africa Journal April 03, 2019 19:41 UTC