A Turkish BMC, destroyed on March 2nd by the LNA. Click to see full-size image
On March 2nd, Turkey’s nightmare scenario appears to be becoming reality, as a delegation allied to Libyan National Army’s (LNA) Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar visited Damascus, Syria.
In the meeting, Libyan Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister Abdul-Hadi al-Hawaij met with Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem in Damascus.
al-Hawaij said “Syria is an important, effective and key state in the region despite of all circumstances facing it and terrorism will not undermine it as it is able to overcome all the crises thanks to the resilience of its people, the heroism of its army and the wisdom of its leadership.”
Al-Hawaij noted that one of the most important goals of the visit to Syria is to exchange information on thousands of terrorists and mercenaries who have been transferred by Erdogan from northern Syria to Libya backed by Qatar “the financial arm of all the operations in this regard.”
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The delegation was also received by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
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On the Syrian side, Muallem said diplomatic missions would be reopened in Damascus and the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi, controlled by Haftar’s forces.
The two sides also pledged to coordinate to “confront Turkish interference and aggression against both countries”.
Meanwhile, on the ground in Libya, the LNA appears to be making gains against the Government of National Accord’s (GNA) forces.
Another UAV, presumably Turkish was shot down in southern Tripoli.
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Image of the Turkish UAV, downed above Tripoli by the LNA and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s signature on it. Click to see full-size image
Shelling of the Mitiga airport with Grad rockets also continued.
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The LNA reported that it had knocked out the MIM-23 HAWK Systems that Turkey deployed at the Mitiga airport.
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There were heavy clashes in Ain Zara, eastern Tripoli.
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And the LNA is also advancing from the area of the Tripoli International Airport.
https://twitter.com/akbaar_Benghazi/status/1234475742844596225
The GNA attempted to destroy the vehicle used by the LNA to launch GRAD rockets, but to no avail.
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Heavy clashes are on-going in many positions in and around Tripoli, but so far it appears that the LNA is managing to gain the upper hand, as Turkey’s support of the GNA proves entirely ineffective.
Turkey’s role, currently, is sending drones that are being destroyed, militants who are taking part in presumed operations with unclear results. The information network’s efforts, however, are working in a way similar to that in Syria – there are reports of LNA fighters being killed, but little evidence to back them up.
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