Forces loyal to Libya's renegade general Khalifa Haftar say they have taken control of large parts of the coastal city of Sirte.

Khaled al-Mahjoub, a spokesman of Haftar's self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA), said the fighters captured "all the districts surrounding the city", including al-Qardabiya airbase, before moving towards the city centre.

The development comes as Turkey announced it had begun the deployment of troops into the North African country to support the U.N.-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA), after receiving approval from parliament last week.

Libya has been dogged by war since December 2011, and the situation heightened in early 2019 when self-styled Gen. Hafter pledged to take over Tripoli from the U.N.-backed government led by Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj.

Hafter announced in early December a final push to take Tripoli from Sarraj’s government, unleashing heavy clashes on the southern edges of the city.

Since 2011, the Libyan war has killed thousands and displaced millions as militant groups and human trafficking cells sought to impose their command in various regions across the country.

Earlier this week, France and Egypt called for the “greatest restraint” by Libyan and international authorities to avoid an escalation of the conflict that has rocked the country for months.

Source(s): Al Jazeera