A Libyan helicopter carrying military commanders from Tripoli's self-styled government was shot down yesterday by another armed faction west of the capital, and at least 12 people were killed, authorities and security sources said.

A 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.

Libya is caught in a conflict involving two rival governments, based respectively in Tripoli and in the east, as well as a myriad of armed factions that back them in loose coalitions.

Armed groups often act independently according to tribal, local or regional loyalties and interests. Tripoli officials have blamed the Washafana tribal army for the attack.

Sign up to our free newsletters

Get the best updates straight to your inbox:
Please select at least one mailing list.

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By subscribing, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing.