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On April 26th, tens of thousands of people took to the streets in Tripoli to protest against Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar’s Libyan National Army (LNA) offensive on Tripoli.
The protesters wanted to show “utter rejection of the military dictatorship” and support the “legitimate” but unelected Government of National Accord (GNA).
Tens of thousands of people flocked to #Tripoli’s Martyrs’ Square on Friday (the 3rd week in a row) to protest warlord Khalifa Haftar’s war on the capital and show utter rejection to the military dictatorship. #Libya pic.twitter.com/CTpTZYtbZK
— The Libya Observer (@Lyobserver) April 26, 2019
The GNA Forces Facebook page advertised the protests as part of “Operation Volcano of Rage,” which is aimed against Haftar’s forces.
عملية_بركان_الغضب: صور تُظهر جانباً من مظاهرات الجمعة في #طرابلس تنديدًا و رفضاً لهجوم ميليشيات مجرم الحرب #المتمرد…
Posted by عملية بركان الغضب on Friday, April 26, 2019
عملية_بركان_الغضب: صور تُظهر جانباً من مظاهرات الجمعة في #مصراتة الرافضة لهجوم ميليشيات مجرم الحرب #المتمرد على العاصمة #طرابلس #لن_نعود_للقيود #تبديد_وهم_المتمرد #ليبيا
Posted by عملية بركان الغضب on Friday, April 26, 2019
Saying that the protesters took to the street to reject the attack of the “Rebel War Criminal’s militia.”
Chairman of the Presidential Council of Libya and the GNA Fayez al-Sarraj said that the GNA forces are protecting the civilians from the LNA and is protecting their choice in the unelected UN-placed government.
It appears that the fighting has been slowed down, as there were no claims of significant successes or otherwise by the GNA.
On the side of the LNA, it’s War Information Division published a video of civilians being rescued by Haftar’s forces and them proclaiming how well they were treated by the soldiers. This is an obvious attempt to disprove claims by the GNA and its supporters that the LNA is mistreating and targeting civilians.
القوات المسلحة تتمكن من إخراج عمالة أفريقية وافدة
مشاهد موثقه مسبقا من تحرير القوات المسلحة لعماله وافده من جنسيات أفريقيا مختلفة كانت عالقة في مواقع الاشتباكات التي تدور ما بين الجيش والتحالف المليشياوي الارهابي على محيط العاصمة طرابلس ، و تأمين وصولهم إلى المواقع المحررة حيث عبروا عن حسن معاملة القوات المسلحه لهم#الاعلام_الحربي
Posted by شعبة الاعلام الحربي on Wednesday, April 24, 2019
General Khairi Tamimi, the head of the LNA General Commander’s Office concluded a visit to Jordan, where he oversaw the graduation of a batch of special forces and held meetings with Jordanian officials to brief them on the situation in Libya.
في زيارته للمملكة الأردنية برفقة عددٍ من الضباط .. أشرفَ اللواء / خيري التميمي مدير مكتب #القائد_العام .. على تخريج دفعة…
Posted by شعبة الاعلام الحربي on Friday, April 26, 2019
The LNA reported on some of its activities:
A video showed an anti-tank team from the Tariq bin Ziyad battalion engaging GNA targets with 9M133 Kornet/AT-14 Spriggan on several occasions south of Tripoli.
#Libya– video from #LNA's Tariq bin Ziyad Bn. showing their AT team engaging #GNA targets with 9M133 Kornet/AT-14 Spriggan on several occasions south of #Tripoli pic.twitter.com/JRnQUSulD7
— Oded Berkowitz (@Oded121351) April 26, 2019
An Emirati drone attack in the early hours of April 26th allegedly left 9 GNA fighters dead.
The death toll from this early morning Emirati drone attack on GNA forces has risen to 9. #Libya #Tripoli
— S.Elbakkoush (@SalahElbakkoush) April 26, 2019
It also provided a photograph of an alleged bomb dropped by GNA force in al-Sawani, Tripoli, no information of shelling over that area was provided by GNA.
photo shows the remaining parts of the bomb dropped on #GNA‘s forces last night in Al-Sawani, #Tripoli, any info on its type? pic.twitter.com/TxrZATiWRN
— Bashir Alzawawi (@Balzawawi_ly) April 26, 2019
In the battle of Ain Zara, LNA forces appear to be advancing in the area of al-Khaleli, eastern Tripoli.
Finally, the Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conti said that a military solution to the crisis was impossible and called for Haftar’s forces to immediately stand down.
Furthermore, Italy’s Chief of Staff rejected any allegations that Italian troops were involved in any clashes and provided updated figures of their efforts in Misrata and Tripoli.
In response, LNA Spokesperson Major General Al-Mismari told an Italian outlet that Italian troops “must immediately leave Misrata,” as the LNA has “proof the facility has no longer anything humanitarian and Italians are suspected to train extremist militias.”
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Just divide the country into as many countries as there are tribes. Arabs have never really grown out of the tribal thing, why force them into countries they don’t want to be part of?
Finally, the Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conti said that a military solution to the crisis was impossible and called for Haftar’s forces to immediately stand down.
It’s funny how they always say a military solution is impossible, yet when they want to use military force this is suddenly no longer the case. How come a military solution wasn’t impossible when the war to oust Khadaffi was going on? How come a military solution wasn’t impossible when Saddam was said to have WMD’s? How come a military solution wasn’t impossible when Assad was said to have ‘used chemical weapons’ against his own people?
It’s only when others use military force that a military solution is impossible, even though historically military force has decided more conflicts then anything. It’s only impossible when both sides are in a military stalemate. It remains to be seen if this is the case here, although currently in this particular battle it is.