TRIPOLI, April 8 (Xinhua) -- Air forces of the east-based Libyan army on Monday targeted M'etiga international airport of the capital Tripoli, as the army continues trying to take over the city, which is controlled by the UN-backed government.

Khalid Mas'ood, a safety officer of the airport, told Xinhua that the runway was attacked but no casualties were reported.

The strike suspended all flights at the airport and damaged the runway, Mas'ood said, confirming that the airport was evacuated for safety reasons.

The army, led by General Khalifa Haftar, on Thursday launched a military operation to take over western Libya, particularly the capital Tripoli where the UN-backed government is based.

On Saturday, the army threatened to attack airbases and fighter jets of the government in western Libya.

The fighting left 35 people killed so far and forced 2800 people to flee their homes.

The army is allied with the east-based government, as the country is politically divided between two governments in the west and east.

Libya has been struggling to make a democratic transition amid insecurity and chaos ever since the fall of former leader Muammar Gaddafi's regime in 2011.