GNA forces retake control of Tripoli International airport

Forces aligned with the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) seized Wednesday full control of Tripoli International airport from rebel Gen. Khalifa Haftar’s fighters who have been, since April last year, trying to seize the Libyan capital.

Mohammed Gununu, GNA spokesman, said GNA forces seized the airport after flashing out Haftar’s fighters who were barricaded inside, Libya Observer reports.

Haftar forces took control of the airport located south of the capital after they launched a military offensive to overthrow the GNA which the rebel General claims is controlled by terror groups and Muslim Brotherhood.

The Tripoli airport is one of the numerous positions recovered from the rebel forces in recent days. Lately, the GNA aligned forces, backed by Turkey, took over the key Wattiyah airbase from Haftar.

Libya has slid into chaos since 2011 following the removal of country strongman Muammar Gaddafi in a NATO-backed revolution.

Installed in December 2015 under the Skhirate agreement, the GNA has struggled to impose its sovereignty over the whole country.