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Warplanes from Libya's internationally recognized government carried out airstrikes on a Tripoli airport Thursday just hours before United Nations-backed peace talks were due to start in Morocco, Reuters reported. 

Libya has two rival governments with armed forces battling for control of the North African state, where Islamist militants are also profiting from turmoil to gain ground four years after the civil war that ousted Moammar Gadhafi.

The North African OPEC state declared force majeure and halted production on 11 oilfields late Wednesday because of deteriorating security after Islamist fighters overran the Bahi and Mabrouk fields in the central Sirte basin.

The jets attacking Tripoli hit an open area near the runway at Maitiga airport, but caused no major damage and the airport was operating normally, a security source at the airport said.

"We, the dignity forces, conducted airstrikes this morning on Maitiga airport. We will never stop until we liberate Tripoli from militias," Mohammad Hejazi, a spokesman for the forces, told Reuters, refering to rival faction Libya Dawn.