Senior Tripoli officials killed after helicopter shot down

Several military commanders from Libya's self-styled government in Tripoli were killed on Tuesday when their helicopter was shot down by another of the country’s armed factions, triggering clashes west of the capital.

Libya is caught up in a conflict between that government and a second, internationally recognised one in the east, and the shooting comes as the United Nations pursues fragile negotiations between them to form a unity administration.

Hardliners on both sides are resisting a peace deal and see any violence as an excuse to challenge the talks.

Colonel Mustafa Al-Sharkasi, spokesman for the Tripoli government's chief of staff, said the helicopter had been returning to the capital when it was hit by anti-aircraft fire and crashed into the sea near al-Maya.

Security sources said 13 bodies had been recovered out of the 19 people on board, including three colonels from the Tripoli military command. They had been travelling by helicopter because of security risks on the coast road west of the city, a source said.

Fierce clashes erupted immediately after the crash between armed brigades from Zawiya city, which support the Tripoli government, and from Washafana town, whose fighters it blamed for shooting down the helicopter. No group claimed responsibility for the attack.