Bombs kill seven in shelter for displaced in Libya

Bombs hit a shelter for displaced people in Libya's capital Tripoli, killing at least seven and wounding at least 17 people.

This was the latest attack on civilians in the fighting over Tripoli between eastern-based forces under military commander Khalifa Hifter and an array of militias loosely allied with the UN-supported but weak government in the capital. The ambulance services did not say which side was responsible for the shelling.

The fatalities included a 5-year-old child from Bangladesh, health authorities said on Sunday.

Libya has been in turmoil since 2011, when a civil war toppled and later killed long-time dictator Moammar Gadhafi. The country has since split between rival administrations in the east and the west, each backed by armed groups and foreign countries.

In recent weeks, the fighting has intensified as foreign backers of the two sides stepped up their military support. The self-styled Libyan Arab Armed Forces are backed by France and Russia, as well as Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and other key Arab countries.

The Tripoli-allied militias are aided by Turkey, which deployed troops and mercenaries to help shore up their allies earlier this year, as well as by Italy and Qatar.