Libya's parliament hit in 'Haftar airstrike'

A hotel housing the Libyan parliament has been badly damaged in an air strike on Friday, which has been blamed on rebel military leader who has launched an offensive on the capital Tripoli.

The Libya's Government of National Accord (GNA) accused rebel commander Khalifa Hafter of carrying out the bombing.

Khaled Ali Elosta, a member of the Libyan House of Representatives, said a bomb was dropped on the hotel, which lies close to the city centre, by a drone.

Fierce clashes erupted in the southern suburbs of Tripoli began between the UN-backed GNA and Haftar's forces on 4 April.

Haftar's assault on Tripoli has seen more than 500 killed and with more than 2,000 injured.

The rebel commander's forces have shelled and bombed Tripoli, forcing thousands to flee their homes from the capital.

Haftar has backing from the UAE and Egypt, although the GNA and allied militias have managed to hold-off the assault.

Earlier this week, Haftar rejected a request from French President Emmanuel Macron during talks in Paris for a halt to the offensive on Tripoli.

Hafter said the conditions for halting hostilities "were not met," while acknowledging that a "political dialogue" is needed to end the standoff with his rival, Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj.