This picture taken on November 18, 2019 shows the aftermath of a reported air strike on a factory south of the Libyan capital Tripoli where several people were killed according to a spokesman of the UN-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA). (Photo by MAHMUD TURKIA/AFP via Getty Images)
Five soldiers from UN-backed government forces were killed on Friday in airstrikes launched by Libya's eastern-based army in the city of Sirte, some 450 km east of the capital Tripoli.
"Five soldiers were killed by Haftar's air force as the troops were pursuing remnants of Islamic State terrorists in southern Sirte," said Taha Hadid, spokesman of Sirte's Protection and Security Force, the security service of the Sirte government.
The army, led by Khalifa Haftar, has been leading a military campaign in and around Tripoli since early April, attempting to take over the city.
Fighting has so far left thousands dead or injured, with more than 120,000 civilians displaced.
The United Nations Support Mission in Libya said it regrets the recent military escalation in the country, while stressing the importance of finding a political solution to the Libyan crisis.