TRIPOLI, Aug 23 (Reuters) - Unidentified war planes attacked positions of an armed faction in the Libyan capital Tripoli on Saturday, residents and local media said.
Ten people were killed and dozens wounded, said a spokesman for Operation Dawn, an umbrella of Islamist-leaning forces mainly from Misrata which has been trying to expel brigades from Zintan, also located in western Libya.
Residents heard loud explosions early in the morning near the main airport where two groups have been fighting for control of the capital for more than one month.
Local channel al-Nabaa said the planes had attacked four positions of Operation Dawn. Buildings of state oil firm al-Waha located near the airport road were also hit, said Mohamed Gharyani, spokesman for Operation Dawn.
Forces of renegade General Khalifa Haftar who has launched a military campaign against Islamists in the eastern city of Benghazi claimed the attack, one of his commanders told Reuters.
He had already said his forces carried out air strikes on Monday on positions of Operations Dawn, although some analysts have expressed doubt whether the ageing Libyan air force is able too carry out such strikes.
The North African oil producer has been in chaos as the weak government is unable to control former rebel factions which helped topple Muammar Gaddafi in 2011 but have now turned their guns on each other. (Reporting by Ahmed Elumami, Feras Bosalum, Ayman al-Warfalli and Heba al-Shibani; Writing by Ulf Laessing; Editing by Rosalind Russell)
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