As the forces of eastern commander Khalifa Haftar were still trying to capture Libya's capital, Euronews' Anelise Borges spoke to Fayez al-Serraj, the Prime Minister of the UN-backed government.

Speaking about Haftar's troops, al-Serraj said they were not the organised military outfit they claim to be.

"They are criminal gangs, ideological groups, thugs and outlaws," al-Serraj told Borges.

"We are defending the dream of all Libyans of establishing a civilian state. We will continue defending our dream, our capital, our homes, our people until this attack has been stopped and all the invading troops go back where they came from," al Serraj went on.

Haftar's Libyan National Army, based in the east of the country, began an assault to capture the capital in April.

Fighting in the battle for Tripoli has killed at least 510 people, forced 75,000 out of their homes, trapped thousands of migrants in detention centres and flattened some suburbs, according to the United Nations.