TRIPOLI, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- Spokesman of Libya's eastern-based army Ahmad al-Mismari on Saturday said that the army had launched a large-scale offensive against the forces of the rival UN-backed government in southern Tripoli.
"Our forces launched a fierce attack against the terrorist militias (UN-backed government's forces) in the Salah al-Din axis in order to liberate (it) from the terrorist and criminal gangs," al-Mismari said in a statement.
On the other hand, the UN-backed government's forces said they stopped an attempt by the eastern-based army to infiltrate into southern Tripoli.
Since early April, the eastern-based army has launched a military operation to take over Tripoli and overthrow the UN-backed government.
The fighting so far has killed and injured thousands of people, and also displaced nearly 120,000 people.
