15 killed as Haftar's forces repel attack on Tripoli airport

At least 15 GNA militants were killed when Khalifa Haftar's Libya National Army (LNA) repelled attacks on the Tripoli airport. Fighting broke out between the LNA and GNA after Haftar's forces launched an offensive in April to retake Tripoli.

Tripoli (Libya):As many as 15 Government of National Accord (GNA) militants were killed when Libyan eastern commander, field marshal Khalifa Haftar's Libya National Army (LNA) repelled attacks on the Tripoli airport here, informed LNA General Command press service director Khalifa Obeidi on Monday.

"LNA repelled an armed attack by (GNA armed) groups...on Tripoli airport on Sunday morning," media reported quoting Obeidi.

"15 Government of National Accord (GNA) militants, including six mercenaries from Chad died in the clash," he added.

Libya has been largely divided into two factions ever since the death of its dictator Muammar Gaddafi.

While the LNA-backed parliament controls the east of Libya, the UN-backed GNA rules Libya's western region from Tripoli.

LNA and GNA are at loggerheads after Haftar's forces launched an offensive in April to retake Tripoli.

While more than 450 people have been killed so far, nearly 90,000 people have been displaced in the clashes.