Two killed in air strike on shopping area in Libya

An air strike Thursday on a shopping area during rush hour near Libya's capital killed at least two civilians and wounded 20 others, a local official said.

The air strike on the town of Zawiya, 45 kilometres west of Tripoli, hit a pharmacy, a bakery and cars parked on the street, the mayor of the town, Jamal Baher, told AFP.

"Two people were killed and 20 others were wounded," he said.

The air strike took place as the area was busy with shoppers ahead of the weekend, which starts Friday in the North African country.

Jets loyal to warlord Khalifa Haftar bombed Zawiyah city,  Zawiyah teaching hospital told Anadolu Agency.

It comes amid fighting between the Tripoli-based, UN-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) and rival warlord Haftar's militia, who is based in the country's east.

Libyan government shells Haftar militants

Libya’s UN-recognised GNA bombarded militants and mercenaries loyal to warlord Khalifa Haftar, according to the media office of the Burkan Al Ghadab (Volcano of Rage) operation.

GNA forces shelled an armoury belonging to Haftar militants in Yarmouk district south of Tripoli.

Haftar launched an operation Thursday in the Salahaddin region south of the capital, leading to the exodus of many civilians, but GNA forces repelled the attack.

More than 140,000 Libyans have fled their homes since April, when Haftar launched a military campaign to capture Tripoli from the internationally recognised government. 

Haftar's militia have so far failed to progress beyond the city’s outskirts.

However, on December 12, Haftar announced that he had ordered his militants to launch a “decisive battle” to capture the capital.

According to UN data, more than 1,000 people have been killed since the start of the operation and more than 5,000 injured.

Since the ouster of late leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, two seats of power have emerged in Libya: one in eastern Libya supported mainly by Egypt and the United Arab Emirates and another in Tripoli, which enjoys UN and international recognition.