Tripoli [Libya]: At least five doctors lost their lives after an air raid by Khalifa Haftar’s Libyan National Army (LNA) targeted a hospital in the southern outskirts of Libya’s capital Tripoli, an official from the UN-recognised government of the war-ravaged country said on Sunday.
“The field hospital located on the airport road [southern Tripoli] was hit by an air raid,” health ministry spokesperson Lamine al-Hashemi was quoted as saying by Al Jazeera.
“Five doctors were killed and seven other people, including rescuers, [were] wounded” in Saturday’s attack that al-Hashemi said was carried out by “a Haftar warplane”.
The LNA enjoys the backing of France, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Russia, and had launched an offensive in early April to seize control of Tripoli.
The UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) in the Libyan capital weathered the initial onslaught and since then fighting has remained deadlocked on the outskirts of the capital, with both sides resorting to air attacks in recent days.
No immediate confirmation or denial of responsibility from Haftar’s forces was made.
Saturday’s attack was the third to target a hospital south of Tripoli.
On July 16, three doctors and a paramedic were wounded in an air attack on Swani Hospital near the capital, the second time it was targeted.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) and rights groups have repeatedly called on both sides in the conflict to spare medical personnel, clinics and hospitals.
The fighting since April has killed nearly 1,100 people and injured more than 5,750, according to the WHO. More than 100,000 civilians have fled their homes.