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Benghazi - At least 21 people have been killed in fighting near Libya's capital Tripoli, military sources say as the country's rival parliaments met in Morocco for UN-brokered peace talks aimed at forming a unity government to end the unrest.
Pro-government forces clashed with fighters from the Islamist-backed Fajr Libya militia alliance in Tajoura, 30km east of Tripoli, as the forces of the internationally recognised government launched an attack against the militia's camp in a new attempt to regain control of the capital.
Higher toll
"14 soldiers, four fighters from Fajr Libya, and three women were killed today in Tajoura," said a pro-government military source, adding that the women were killed accidentally in rocket fire.
Another 24 people were wounded, he said, without giving a breakdown.
A Fajr Libya spokesperson in Tripoli, Mohamad Shami, confirmed the attack but gave a much higher death toll on the pro-government side.
"32 members of the attacking forces were killed," Shami said.
"Fajr Libya is in full control of Tajoura, and there are minor clashes near a camp called the 101 camp where some of the attackers are still there and Fajr Libya forces are surrounding them," he added.
Two governments
The fresh fighting marks a new front as forces loyal to the internationally recognised government try to re-enter the capital, under the control of Fajr Libya since August.
The country has had two governments and parliaments since the alliance of Islamist militia seized Tripoli in August and the internationally recognised government fled to the country's far east.
