The U.N. chief left Libya “deeply concerned” after failing to halt an advance by renegade commander Khalifa Hifter.
By Sudarsan Raghavan Sudarsan Raghavan Cairo bureau chief covering North Africa and Yemen Email Bio Follow April 5 at 4:29 PM CAIRO — Libya edged closer to full-blown civil war on Friday as forces of an eastern commander clashed with pro-government militias near the capital, Tripoli, and an effort by the U.N. chief failed to stop the offensive.
Hifter reportedly told Guterres that his offensive on Tripoli will continue, according to the al-Arabiya television network. By nightfall, Hifter’s troops claimed to have taken an area near Tripoli’s international airport, but there was no independent confirmation. Hifter was a general in Gaddafi’s army who defected and then spent years living in Northern Virginia. He returned to Libya to take part in the revolution against Gaddafi.
“We are coming, Tripoli, we are coming,” said Hifter, whose forces have pushed toward the city since Thursday.
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