Turkey is using the ceasefire to smuggle arms and mercenaries in Libya

By TOC On Jul 31, 2020

TRIPOLI, (BM) – A ceasefire in Libya can only be established after Turkey completely leaves Libya, Libyan National Army (LNA) spokesman Ahmed al-Mismari said on July 30, learned BulgarianMilitary.com citing Address Libya magazine.

Al-Mismari also accused Turkey of using the ceasefire to smuggle arms and mercenaries into Libya on merchant ships. He also said that Turkey is using American tanks and Hawk air defense systems in Libya.

In conclusion, he noted that the LNA has strengthened its positions in Sirte, al-Jufra and in the “oil crescent” region.

Let us recall that the city of Sirte and its environs are the point at which the main combat forces of the parties, the Libyan National Army (LNA) and the PNS forces are concentrated. However, international pressure has so far kept the forces from attacking.

The Turkish side, which supports the PNC, said that in order to declare a truce, the LNA must transfer control of the city to the GNS forces. In turn, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said that Cairo would send troops to Libya if the GNA violated the “red line” and took Sirte and the Al-Jufra region.

The capture of Sirte will open the way to oil reserves – an outlet to the oil-bearing region – the “oil crescent” of Libya.

GNA prepares Syrian jihadists to fight

Yesterday [July 30 -ed.] we reported that the Sultan Murad, a group of Syrian militants, is organizing a new training camp for mercenaries in Libya. It will appear in Tripoli. According to the media, terrorists will be trained here to attack the city of Sirte.

According to the official spokesman for the Libyan National Army (LNA), Ahmad Mismari, the so-called Government of National Accord (GNA) is mobilizing its forces to launch an offensive against the LNA positions.

It is planned to replenish the ranks of the GNA militants at the expense of mercenaries from Syria previously deployed by Turkey to the country. The terrorists are organizing a training base on the site of the Yarmuk refugee camp, FAN writes.

The preparations launched by the GNA jihadists confirm that the illegitimate government in Tripoli is about to launch an attack on Sirte. The named settlement is of strategic importance. According to LNA intelligence, at least 10,000 Syrian mercenaries have gathered around the city. The GNA is also actively sending military equipment here.

Libyan civil war

Having ruled the country since 1969, Muammar Gaddafi was ousted and killed in the 2011 civil war. As a result, the country found itself in a situation of dual power: in the east, a parliament is sitting in Tobruk, supported by the Libyan national army, Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, and in the west, in Tripoli, a government of national accord.

In Libya, armed clashes are currently taking place between supporters of different leaders. The country is led by the Government of National Accord (GNA), headed by Prime Minister Fayez Saraj, the “eastern government” led by Abdullah Abdurrahaman at-Thani.

The eastern government is supported by the commander of the Libyan National Army, Khalifa Haftar.

Recall that January 13 in Moscow, negotiations were held between the heads of the Libyan National Army (LNA) Khalif Haftar and the Government of National Accord (GNA) Faiz Sarraj. Also present were members of the Foreign Ministries of Russia and Turkey.

On the meeting the commander of the Libyan National Army (LNA), Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, has notified Russia about the conditions for continuing negotiations on the signing of a peace agreement in Libya.

According to the requirements of Haftar, the militias operating in Libya are required to surrender weapons in the period from 45 to 90 days. This process should be controlled by a special commission created by the LNA together with the UN.

Haftar also refused to recognize Turkey as an intermediary in resolving the situation in Libya, since the Turkish side is not neutral and supports the Government of National Accord (GNA).

At the same time, the GNA is actively supporting Turkey, and Egypt and Saudi Arabia are on the side of the LNA. Its unofficial allies are France and the UAE.

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Editorial team