Libya’s Warring Factions Resume Fighting in Threat to Cease-Fire
Libya’s Warring Factions Resume Fighting in Threat to Cease-Fire by Jared Malsin and Benoit Faucon – Wall Street Journal
A resumption in fighting in Libya is threatening to unravel efforts to end a nearly decade-long crisis in the North African country, less than two weeks after foreign backers of the two main warring factions agreed to support a cease-fire there.
Forces loyal to Khalifa Haftar, a former military commander who leads a faction based in the country’s east, shelled the Libyan capital’s only functioning airport this week as they attempted to take control of Tripoli from the United Nations-backed government.
They also battled pro-government fighters near the port city of Misrata. On Thursday, pro-government forces said they shot down a Russian surveillance drone over Tripoli that was flying in support of Mr. Haftar’s fighters.
The two sides have accused each other of breaking a fragile cease-fire put in place earlier this month after Turkey and Russia, who back opposing sides in the conflict, called for a truce…
