Three Libya eastern fighters killed in strike near Tripoli

Three members of Libya’s eastern force, including two commanders, were killed late on Friday in a drone strike on Tarhuna city by the internationally recognised government of national accord (GNA), a military source said.

GNA’s media office confirmed the strike and said “it [the strike] targeted a control vehicle in Tarhuna.” Tarhuna, some 97.6 km (60.6 miles) southeast of Tripoli, is a hub allied to commander Khalifa Haftar’s Libyan National Army (LNA).

LNA forces launched a surprise offensive in early April to try take control of Tripoli, where U.N.-backed Prime Minister Fayez Seraj and his GNA are based.

“Two commanders of LNA’s ninth brigade and their assistant were killed in a drone strike,” the military source said.

Libya has been in turmoil since the rule of leader Muammar Gaddafi was brought to an end in a NATO-backed uprising in 2011.