Libya's U.N.-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) yesterday claimed that drones belonging to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) carried out attacks in Gharyan city, south of the capital Tripoli.

"The UAE's drones that support rebel war criminal [Khalifa] Haftar just targeted the Abu Ghilan area in Gharyan city," GNA's military forces said in a statement. In previous statements, the UAE had denied similar allegations of carrying out strikes in Libya.

Haftar, a former officer of Moammar Gadhafi's regime who has been trying to destroy the Tripoli-based GNA for months, enjoys varying levels of support from the UAE, Egypt and France. The Libyan conflict has drawn in a range of regional and international actors who are all competing for influence. Since the country has become the power projection stage for several regional and international actors, there was a heated exchange of accusations. Egypt, which has been acting like a mouthpiece for the United Arab Emirates, accused other countries of financing militias. Qatar, on the other hand, claimed that the UAE-backed forces in Libya were committing war crimes. Libya faces a series of problems, including migration, a worsening humanitarian situation and internal conflict. The disputes among international actors and the indifference of many involved powers have only deepened the problems. Attempts to find a solution, with the help of some international powers, have so far remained futile. On the contrary, the division among the country's rival factions has widened.