The army aligned to Libya's United Nations-backed government on Sunday announced a counter offensive and vowed to reclaim all areas seized by the self-styled Libyan National Army led by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar.

Forces loyal to Libyan strongman Khalifa Haftar have started advancing on the country’s western cities and districts, with reports of skirmishes already taking place in the south of the capital Tripoli, which is controlled by Libya’s internationally-recognized government of Fayez al-Sarraj.