IMAGE: twitter.com/leventkemaI/
Last night, the Libyan National Army (LNA), led by Field Marshal Khalifa Belqasim Haftar, captured Tripoli International Airport and several nearby areas deployed in a less than 18km from the city of Tripoli itself. These gains were made in the framework of “Operation Flood of Dignity” launched on April 4.
Such large gains in a few days only became possible due to the fact that the city of Tripoli and nearby areas are controlled by various small armed groups [many of them linked to or inclide members of radical militant groups], which are only formally controlled by the pro-Western Government of National Accord (GNA).
#Libya– 2 of the more interesting/rare vehicles deployed so far by #Tripoli Protection Forces (#TPF) as part of Operation "Wadi-Doum 2" against the #LNA:
– Top shaved humvee converted to technical carrying a recoilless rifle
– 2 STREIT Group Spartans pic.twitter.com/A3rubPXma3— Oded Berkowitz (@Oded121351) April 6, 2019
In fact, the GNA controls only a part of the city of Tripoli. However, the LNA advance has forced at least a part of these competing factions to start working together in an attempt to keep control of the city. According to local sources, it’s unlikely that these factions will be able to regroup and stop the LNA advance before it is able to reach the city vicinity. However, the battle for Tripoli may become a serious challenge for the LNA.
Another important factor is the support, which the US-led “international community” may provide to the GNA. The US military’s AFRICOM has capabilities to carry out airstrikes in Libya.
At the same time, the UN Security Council called on warring factions to stop military activity. In own turn, the LNA says that it’s determined to liberate Tripoli from “terrorists”.
This is going all way faster then I expected. I still think the LNA would do well to mop up some of the other outlying regions occupied by headchopper crazies. Before they A: become a problem in the long term and B: to deny the US a chance to save the GNA because it then only would control Tripoli. Once the LNA controls all of Libya except the capital there is little point to intervene to save the capital.
Yes, surprisingly faster / quicker.
“Operation Flood of Dignity”……oh vey !!!
Saudi-inspired Salafists have heavily influenced the course of Libya’s conflict and will most likely decisively factor into the country’s future political equilibrium. As such quietist and literalist currents of political Islam continue changing the political environment throughout North Africa, Riyadh sees the Wahhabi Madkhalis serving as a conservative bulwark against the activism of the Muslim Brotherhood, pitting the pro-Haftar clerics in Libya against key religious and political figures from Misrata that align with the country’s internationally-recognized government in Tripoli.
True that.. Speed will be the best bet to protect from US. That we are all taken by suprise is a good sign IMHO. Suprise is the best tool in war, and if Haftar takes Tripoli soon, then the US will not have too much of a chance to help their Islamist proxys of the LGNA. Lets hope!
While this will finally bring closer the end of Libya’s fragmentation. We should remember that Haftar actually lived in USA’s Langley for many years of his life and was trained by CIA, as he was their asset to use against Gaddafi. If USA doesn’t bomb him, it’s likely because they don’t feel their interests are that much threatened by him. But even then he is better then the terrorist gangs of GNA. And he is willing to talk to all players on the world scene, while GNA idiots are only allowed to commune with USA as they are their direct puppets, though very weak and pathetic puppets.
This CIA stooge Haftar is using Saudi, UAE and Egyptian bastards weapons and now Wahhabi headchoppers will control Libya for their Zionist masters.
Saudi Arabia gave Haftar the green light for his attack and supplied him with money in order to take over the west Libya.
Egypt and the UAE supplied Haftar with arms and heavy equipment,”most western sources concede,
Stating that there are Emirati and Egyptian weapons being used by his fighters in the battle. Haftar is also using militias from Chad and the Sudanese opposition paid with Saudi funds.
An important pillar of Saudi influence over Libyan actors is in the Wahhabi religious domain, specifically the role that the fundamentalist movement of Madkhalis serve in the country’s political arena. This Islamic movement, which gained ground in Egypt and the Arabian Peninsula during the late 20th century mainly as a response to Muslim Brotherhood activism, follows Rabee al-Madkhali, a Salafist scholar from Saudi Arabia. There are estimated to be over 5,000 Saudis fighting alongside Haftar’s forces in Libya.
1synopsis