Photo: Xinhua

TRIPOLI, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- The eastern-based army of Libya on Thursday announced killing more than 20 members of the UN-backed government forces in south of capital Tripoli, as the armed conflict between the two parties continues.

"Significant progress has been made in today's operations. Three (members) of Deterrence Force militia (UN-backed government's forces) in Salah Addin axis have been captured, as well as a number of Misurata militias in al-Mashroo (in southern Tripoli)," the eastern-based army's information office said in a statement.

"A total of 12 militia members (of UN-backed government's forces) have been captured and more than 20 have been killed, as they clearly retreated," the statement said.

The UN-backed Libyan government's forces on Wednesday announced capturing 25 soldiers of the eastern-based army in southern Tripoli, bringing the total number of eastern-based army soldiers it captured to more than 50 in a week.

The eastern-based army, led by Khalifa Haftar, has been launching a military campaign in and around Tripoli, trying to take over the city from the UN-backed government.

The violence killed and injured thousands of people, and displaced more than 120,000 civilians away from their homes.