Haftar’s air forces bomb zoo in Tripoli

Libya’s eastern airforce, led by retired Major General Khalifa Haftar, launched on Saturday a raid on the zoo in the capital Tripoli (west), claiming it had been used for military purposes.

The airstrike targeted the headquarters of Ghneiwa militia (affiliated to Abdul-Ghani Al-Kikli, head of the Central Security Authority) in the zoo in Abu Sleemin Tripoli, said the pro-Haftar TV channel Al-Fadaeya Al-Libeya on its Facebook page.

Since 4 April, Haftar’s forces have been waging a faltering attack to take over Tripoli, the headquarters of the internationally recognised Government of National Accord.

Haftar’s militias are targeting the Zoo in Abu Saleem, said February TV (loyal to the Government of National Accord) on Facebook.

Read: Eastern Libyan forces damaged civilian airport in western Libya

Ean Libya website stated that, following their targeting of the zoo, Haftar’s forces caused panic among citizens along with material damage.

Haftar’s forces have often been bombing mainly non-military places and saying that the Government of National Accord and its loyalists are using them for military purposes; an accusation that the government denies.

Haftar’s forces claimed responsibility for raids on the civilian Zuwarah Airport (northwest) last Thursday and Friday, claiming that it has been used for military purposes.

The United Nations Support Mission in Libya said in a statement on Saturday that it sent an assessment committee to the airport and confirmed that it is a civilian facility.

The mission stressed that it would share information and evidence it had collected on the airport with the Security Council and other relevant international bodies.