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Haftar's 'air blockade' targets UN Libya flights

Forces loyal to Libya's renegade General Khalifa Haftar have blocked UN flights from operating to and from Libya, curtailing humanitarian and peace efforts, the UN mission has said.

Gen Haftar's eastern-based Libya National Army (LNA) has on several occasions in recent weeks refused to grant permission for the regular UN flights operations:

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A humanitarian source has told news agency AFP that Gen Haftar was imposing a "no-fly zone" for Tripoli and there were concerns that UN flights could be possible targets.

The LNA has been trying since last April to capture the capital Tripoli from the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) but has failed to breach the city's defences.

In a BBC interview at the weekend, UN chief António Guterres said the crisis in Libya was "a scandal".

He said that the UN arms embargo was being violated despite a meeting last month in Berlin where countries directly and indirectly involved in the crisis made commitments to respect the UN resolution.

Mr Guterres termed the conflict a "proxy war", adding that it was "unacceptable":

Watch his interview with the BBC's Emmanuel Igunza:

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres backs Africa's role in Libya talks

More about the Libyan conflict: