The Libyan National Army (LNA) advanced on December 27 towards the country’s capital, Tripoli, capturing a strategic highway and several areas from forces loyal to the Government of National Accord (GNA).
In an official statement, the LNA’s media center announced that army units had captured the Tripoli airport highway, the fuel tanks, al-Furusiyah bridge and al-Naqliyah camp.
Later, sources affiliated with the LNA said that the former Libyan military staff headquarters was also captured from pro-GNA forces.
Click to see full-size map. Source: (@Suriyakmaps) on Twitter.
Maj. Gen. Khaled al-Mahjoub, Director of the Guidance Department of the LNA, told al-Arabiya that army units are now only 4 km away from Tripoli’s city center. The commander also claimed that many pro-GNA fighters were killed during the clashes on the Tripoli airport highway.
GNA forces denied any advance by the LNA, claiming that their troops had recaptured the Tripoli airport highway. However, no evidence backing these claims was presented.
The LNA’s new ground push towards Tripoli came amid reports of a near Turkish military intervention in Libya. Many sources said that Ankara is planning to deploy ground and naval forces, as well as some of its Syrian proxies, in Libya to support the GNA.
Better get a wriggle on before Erdogan enters the fray fully.
Erdogan being a loudmouth peasant without any military knowledge has got Turkey in a bind as its military simply does not have the operational ability, rapid deployment assets, combined arms operations or logistics to launch a major offensive and occupation expedition over 1200 kms from home against a coalition of Arab vassal states backed by the US and Zionists. Turkey was counting on bringing in Arabic speaking Wahhabi terrorists to Libya and now with rapid SAA successes and intense Russian air offensive even that is doubtful. The Egyptians are pushing very strongly in Libya towards Tripoli even before any major Turkish forces or their terrorist arrive. The next 2-3 weeks are crucial, but Turkey is will lose in Libya too as Russia is no longer coddling Erdogan and Putin has even refused to talk to him and the Turkish delegation to plead for Russian support was shown the door.
Well Turkey HAS deployed jihadi groups en mass – no less than 5 transports direct unto Tripoli (Turkish proxies Faylaq ash-Sham, Sultan Mourad, Suqour ash Sham total 650-800 estimate), plus others on the ground already. Ugly rumour that Turks preparing to fly combat air out of Incirlik (NATO AB) to strike LNA air bases – situation developing
I Dont trust the LNA or Haftar and remain confused by Russia’s support of it. These Sudanese mercenaries openly state they want to return and overthrow the government of Sudan later. Who’s paying all the salaries ? Who pays the Wagner group mercs, Who pays for Russian supplied weapons ? This whole setup stinks to me.
” The Sudanese mercenary commanders said the new wave of recruits included many who had fought against the rule of Omar al-Bashir, who was deposed in April when Sudan’s military withdrew their support after months of popular protests.
One said that many had been recruited in Darfur in recent months while others had travelled from there to Libya to enlist.
All the commanders interviewed said they hoped to return to Sudan to fight against the current transitional government, installed after al-Bashir’s fall.
“I know that we are mercenaries and we are not fighting with honour and dignity …. but this is temporary, we will go back home after we are done with our mission here,” one said.
Another commander said that fighting as mercenaries in Libya was the only way to obtain resources necessary to fight the Sudanese state in the future. ”
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/dec/24/mercenaries-flock-to-libya-raising-fears-of-prolonged-war
Russian pragmatism. GNA or LNA wont be able to bring back Libya’s old prosperity. Capitalism and banking has a way of keeping a portion of its citizens deliberately poor. They might as well reduce foreign jihadist fighters/logistics at one of its major source.
Here we go – re-gurgitate the black mercenary propaganda – same lies used to discredit Colonel Qadhaafi by the very same media always supporting the jihadi war on Syria and backing the gangster mafia Sarraj regime in Tripoli – of course the Guardian will run these lies – in 8 years of war in Syria it never ONCE told the truth that Syria is fighting for its survival as a nation-state, now ditto in Libya where the last elected parliament (House of Reps) is battling to regain control over all Libya against the jihadi mercenaries entrenched in Misrata and Tripoli.
This article could be setting a narrative. We all know Sudan is on the Zio ” dinner plate ” . You should think outside your preconceived notions once in awhile. BTW, I’m neither for the GNA or the LNA. I support the true Libyans of Ghadafi’s green movement.
You are truly lost in the ‘fog of war’.
Supporting jihadists rather than the elected government of Libya, is disgusting.
Please eplain to me the enigma of Haftar , a man who betrayed Libya and Ghadafi ? A man who lived under the watchful eye of the CIA for decades in Langley, Va. Did he suddenly have a change of heart, dropped everything including his wealth, family, and house to go fight in Libya, knowing this would make his handlers very, very angry. Or am I missing something wise one ?
I make no claim to be “All Knowing”, but if you know history you will know the CIA created Al Qaeda in Pakistan. They have supported them in Turkey throughout the Syrian war. Haftar is old, in his seventies, I would think he loves his country. I do know that he is fighting the Salafist, Al Qaeda. The US and UN still support the Muslim Brotherhood jihhadis. The good news is Salif Gaddafi has pleged his support to Haftar.
I appreciate your answer but you didn’t address any of my points. He is either a CIA asset or he turned on them, in which case he would be dead now, not to mention what would happen to his family and assets in the US where he lived for 30 YEARS . Additionally, its irrelevant to the ZioAmericans whether their creations ( Al Qaeda, ISIS, Al -Nusra ) and others fight each other. Its all part of the theater anyway. Lastly, who compromises the bulk of LNA troops, is it Ghaddafi’s former ” green ” soldiers or the people that took part in overthrowing him ?
He would not be the first asset to be disobey orders, if he ever followed them to begin with. His US assets may be irrelevant to him, I don’t know.
Salif Gaddafi pledging his support to Haftar, suggests he likewise supports the elected government in Tobruk,. Suggests green.
I never said anything about Al Qaeda – ISIS fighting each other, I did say that Haftar is fighting the Muslim Brotherhood jihadists known as Al Qaeda or the GNA in Tripoli.
Fayez al-Sarraj From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to navigation Jump to search Fayez al-Sarraj فايز السراجFayez al-Sarraj in 2017 Chairman of the Presidential Council of LibyaIncumbentAssumed office 30 March 2016Vice PresidentAhmed MaiteeqPreceded byAguila Saleh Issa (President of the House of Representatives) Nouri Abusahmain (President of the General National Congress)Prime Minister of LibyaIncumbentAssumed office 5 April 2016*[1]DeputyAhmed MaiteeqPreceded byAbdullah al-Thani Khalifa al-GhawilMinister of DefenseIncumbentAssumed office 6 September 2018Prime MinisterHimselfPreceded byAl-Mahdi Al-BarghathiPersonal detailsBornFayez Mustafa al-Sarraj February 20, 1960 (age 59) Tripoli, LibyaPolitical partyIndependent*Sarrraj’s premiership was disputed by Abdullah al-Thani and since 14 October 2016, by Khalifa al-Ghawil.
Fayez Mustafa al-Sarraj (Arabic: فائز السراج or فايز السراج; born February 20, 1960)[2] is the Chairman of the Presidential Council of Libya and prime minister[3] of the Government of National Accord (GNA) of Libya that was formed as a result of the Libyan Political Agreement signed on 17 December 2015. He has been a member of the Parliament of Tripoli.[4]
Since assuming leadership of the GNA, Sarraj has struggled to exert his authority throughout Libya, and the country remains largely fractured between opposing political forces and is generally unstable.
Contents
1 Biography
1.1 Presidency
2 Government of National Accord
3 References
4 External links
Biography
Born in Tripoli, Sarraj comes from a prominent and wealthy family of Turkish origin,[5] which owned shops and vast amount of land.[6][7] His father, Mostafa al-Sarraj was a minister during the Libyan Monarchy.[6][8] Trained as an architect, during the Gaddafi era he worked in the Housing Ministry.[7] In 2014, he served as the Minister of Housing and Utilities in the Maiteeq Cabinet of the GNC.[9] Some critics “regard Sarraj as a politician imposed by foreign powers.”[10] At the time of his appointment “Guma el-Gamaty, a member of Libya Dialogue, the UN-chaired body that created the new government, said Sarraj was expected to ask for help to combat Isis and train Libyan units.”[11]
After Libya’s 2014 elections, Libyan government was split between the New General National Congress in Tripoli and the internationally recognized legislature of the House of Representatives in Tobruk.[4]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_Libyan_parliamentary_election Last line under results:
“After the Islamists coup of 23 Aug., 2014, the Parliament moved to the stronghold of Tokruk.”
No, the point of the post is to point out that the prime minister of libya, Fayez al-Sarraj,has strong ties to turkey and thats the only reason why erdoghan is gonna go wage war there…..
Well maybe, but I don’t think that is the main reason – the neo-Ottomans hanker to return to Libya since fleeing the Italian invasion in 1911, to re-impose their version of MB Islamic rule, as in Turkey.
The Islamist lost the election and so seized Triploi. The elected representatives moved it to Tubrik. Sarraji is PM of Libya in Muslim Brotherhood jihadi mind. You are right, Erdogan will back him, but for the oil.
Good link by MMM – I would add more detailed explanation of how gangster groupd infiltrate and control Sarraj regime in Tripoli. Link :: http://www.smallarmssurvey.org/fileadmin/docs/T-Briefing-Papers/SAS-SANA-BP-Tripoli-armed-groups.pdf
and repeat my earlier comments to SouthFront ::
Tripoli https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/14fc397469ae4a6bd5e1f0798f0481944876c6733f5f219d447592e503eab5f6.jpg is controlled by the Misrati mafia militia – it’s a simple protection racket run by the Sarraj/GNA regime imposed by UN and supported by Turkey, Qatar, Italy, Germany and Britain who supply weapons and maintain bases in Misrata and liaison/spotter forces on the ground in Tripoli. Tripoli can be invested from the ground but the air and sea routes from Misrata cannot be cut – this means the Misratis and Misrata city/airport/seaport can be re-inforced and resupplied by the foreigners
Exactly as we said – 5 x flights arriving in Tripoli right now (0330Z 28DEC) see link :
https://twitter.com/BabakTaghvaee/status/1210754208728633344
Why in hell LNA is not shelling Ma’itiqah airport I don’t know – this is a war not a game.
Maybe they are not close enough to shell it, they can bomb it right? They have fighter jets
No – LNA has rocket artillery (122 mm) and 152 mm field guns well within range, Ma’itiqah has been hit with indirect fire before but origin unknown – LNA knew this Turkish re-inforcements were coming , now too late.
What about drones they have and fighter jets?
Exactly – LNA has capability to fly spotter drones to laser or light up for precision aerial bombing or guided artillery so why this soft/kid gloves approach ? Doesn’t LNA understand that if Turkey unleashes its warplanes LNA will face a repeat of Libyan Arab Army outside Benghazi 2011 ?? LNA must move all out NOW
please relay it to them