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On June 3rd, the Government of National Accord (GNA) and its Turkish support took control of Tripoli International Airport from Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar’s forces.
This was announced by GNA military spokesperson Mohamad Gnounou.
“Our forces have fully liberated Tripoli international airport,” Gnounou said.
The airport has been closed since 2014 and had been held by the Libyan National Army (LNA), commanded by Haftar, since 2019, when the operation to cleanse the capital from terrorists began.
And wherever the GNA enter, photographs with vehicles with the image of ISIS terrorists are quick to be published.
#GNA force's inside the international Airport in #Tripoli .#Libya pic.twitter.com/iPxIIOKQwO
— Ouais Hasairi (@HasairiOuais) June 3, 2020
فيديو.. قوات بركان الغضب تُحرر مطار #طرابلس العالمي بالكامل. pic.twitter.com/DqYkNmcow8
— عين ليبيا (@EanLibya) June 3, 2020
#GNA seized booty from Tripolis airport pic.twitter.com/hBPKuzpN94
— C4H10FO2P (@markito0171) June 3, 2020
أبطال منطقة #بنغازي العسكرية من داخل مطار #طرابلس العالمي . pic.twitter.com/wFYUfvmBa6
— FARAJ SHITAW (@farajshitaw1) June 3, 2020
Clashes south of Tripoli around Gharyan are also continuing, with the GNA reclaiming control of Alsbaya.
#Breaking_News#Arraed Correspondent : The Libyan army forces are controlling parts of #Alsbaya area, and they have found dead bodies in the city's hospital.#Libya pic.twitter.com/5v2GSZlgJA
— Arraed LG+ (@ArraedLG) June 4, 2020
The LNA is carrying out airstrikes on Gharyan, but there’s little other progress being made in the area.
In southern Tripoli, the LNA appears to be losing positions and withdrawing from areas, with the GNA capturing armored vehicles and weaponry.
The GNA is reportedly pushing further south, towards Suq al Khamis bridge.
عاجل | القائد الميداني بالجيش محمد المشاي يؤكد لبانوراما وصول قوات الجيش لكوبري سوق الخميس إمسيحل. pic.twitter.com/2FCk0Yd8SD
— ليبيا بانوراما (@lpc_ly) June 4, 2020
#شاهد غـنـائـم كـبيرة غنمتها قـوات حكومة الوفاق بمـنطقتي وادي الـربـيـع و عـيـن زارة صباح اليوم الخميس.. pic.twitter.com/1OYOVi1X5r
— Almanara Libya (@AlmanaraMedia) June 4, 2020
رتل تابع لمرتزقة "الجنجويد" على طريق المطار بمدينة "بني وليد" بعد هروبهم من محاور القتال قرب العاصمة #طرابلس pic.twitter.com/wwxuohfDEj
— صحيفة الاستقلال – ميديا (@alestiklal) June 4, 2020
In the diplomatic field, GNA President Fayez al-Serraj traveled to Istanbul to meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
From Ankara, where he arrived earlier for talks with #Turkey’s Recep Tayyip #Erdoğan, #GNA's Fayez Sarraj congratulates Libyans for recent military advances, calls upon #Haftar's "deceived" fighters to surrender.#Russia #UAE #ليبيا #نركيا #حفتر #روسيا #الإمارات pic.twitter.com/4PaYtWPhrA
— Mourad Teyeb (@MouradTeyeb) June 3, 2020
Meanwhile, Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar is in Cairo, and he said that no negotiations would take place until there are GNA militants in Tripoli and around it.
#ليبيا — مصادر الحدث: حفتر أبلغ القاهرة رفضه أي مباحثات قبل سحب ميليشيات الوفاق
— ا لـ حـ ـد ث (@AlHadath) June 3, 2020
Some sources claimed that Haftar requested further, and more direct, support from Egypt in his fight against the Turkish-backed GNA.
#القاهرة — مصادر الحدث: حفتر طالب دعم مصر دوليا لوقف التوغل التركي في ليبيا
— ا لـ حـ ـد ث (@AlHadath) June 3, 2020
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that Russian prisoners in Tripoli complicated any cooperation with the GNA.
However, the GNA Deputy Prime Minister was in Moscow for discussions, and it was expressed that there was chance for a truce between the GNA and LNA.
وزير الخارجية الروسي: السجناء الروس في العاصمة الليبية طرابلس عقبة رئيسية أمام التعاون مع حكومة الوفاق
— سكاي نيوز عربية-عاجل (@SkyNewsArabia_B) June 3, 2020
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