Seen as nearing a conclusion several times in the last few years, Libya’s long-running civil war looks set to flare up yet again as Turkey-backed forces of the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) zero in on the crucial eastern city of Sirte. “Everything is moving towards a massive escalation …
Read More »GNA fighters sends vehicles to Sirte as Haftar forces clash with guards at oil facility
The Libyan army dispatched several military vehicles Saturday to the west of Sirte province, while the Libyan National Oil Corporation (NOC) said clashes took place at the facilities over the weekend. A large number of military vehicles reached Abugrein as part of Operation Paths to Victory, which was launched to …
Read More »Libyan GNA fighters head for front as battle for Sirte looms
Libya’s internationally recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) on Saturday moved fighters closer to Sirte, a gateway to Libya’s main oil terminals that the GNA says it plans to recapture from the eastern-based Libyan National Army (LNA). Witnesses and GNA military commanders said a column of about 200 vehicles moved …
Read More »Turkey sent up to 3,800 fighters to Libya, Pentagon report says
Turkey sent between 3,500 and 3,800 paid Syrian fighters to Libya over the first three months of the year, the US Defense Department’s inspector general concluded in a new report, its first to detail Turkish deployments in Libya’s war. The quarterly report on counterterrorism operations in Africa by the Pentagon’s …
Read More »Turkey will be the death of NATO: its recent clash with fellow member France off the coast of Libya is an early symptom
When two countries who are supposed to be military allies fall out and almost get themselves into a shooting match, you know there’s going to be trouble ahead. The problem for NATO is, this time, it may prove terminal. For a story that involves high seas skullduggery, clandestine gun-running, a …
Read More »Libya denounces threats of Egypt’s Sisi
Al-Sisi’s recent remarks suggesting Cairo could arm Libyan tribes amount to ‘interference in Libyan internal affairs’ Libya condemned the president of Egypt for recent comments suggesting Cairo could arm Libyan tribes against the internationally recognized government. Speaking to Al Jazeera TV, Libyan Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammed Al-Qablawi criticized a recent …
Read More »OPINION: Libya back in turmoil with oil exports again at the mercy of renegade forces
Libya’s National Oil Corporation (NOC) triumphantly said on 10 July that it was lifting force majeure on oil exports, heralding a new phase in a ruinous civil war that has ravaged the leading North African energy exporter. It proved embarrassingly premature as the state player was forced to reimpose the …
Read More »Egypt preparing possible military intervention in Libya, ex-top official says
Egypt is readying its military for a possible intervention in neighbouring Libya, according to a former top-ranking member of its armed forces. The country has been conducting land and sea exercises over the past few days and their size shows that Cairo is serious about moving its forces into Libya …
Read More »Turkey considering deployment of Russian S-400s to Libya against French-made jets
Turkey has been on the receiving end of attacks by French-made Rafale jets in Libya and is looking to activate its Russian-made S-400 missiles as a countermeasure, according to the Eurasian Times news website. Itamilradar, an Italian news website, and Turkey’s pro-government Sabah daily also recently reported on Ankara mulling …
Read More »Egypt received an official parliamentary resolution to intervene Libya with its troops
The eastern-based Libyan parliament, which supports the Libyan National Army (LNA), has given go-ahead to the Egyptian armed forces to intervene in the Libyan conflict, citing AMN. In early June, Egypt put forward the Cairo peace initiative, outlining a path for a political settlement in Libya and calling for warring …
Read More »Libya’s LNA vows to continue oil blockade unless its demands are met
The Libyan National Army vowed to continue its oil blockade in the war-torn North African country unless its demands are met as the conflict between the self-styled army and the UN-backed Government of National Accord rages on. Register Now The LNA, backed by a host of countries including Russia and …
Read More »Turkish FM says Libya’s GNA will only agree to ceasefire after taking Sirte, Jufra
The Turkish-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) in Libya will only agree to a ceasefire if the Libyan National Army (LNA) withdraws from the strategic positions of Sirte and Jufra, Turkey’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlut Cavusoglu told the Financial Times (FT) on Sunday. Cavusoglo told the FT that there …
Read More »Haftar forces accuse Turkey of targeting oil in Libya as Sirte battle looms: report
A military buildup around the Libyan city of Sirte has raised fears of a major battle for control of the area’s strategic oil reserves, the Arab News website reported. The Libyan National Army (LNA), which has occupied Sirte since May, accused Turkey of targeting the oil-rich city and supplying militias …
Read More »Oil production resumes in Libya after months-long shutdown
The Libyan National Oil Company announced Friday the resumption of oil production and exports after a nearly six-month shutdown due to conflict dividing the country. “The NOC has lifted force majeure on all oil exports from Libya,” the company said in a statement, adding that production will take time to …
Read More »Libya: UAE unacceptable in our political talks
Libya’s permanent representative to the UN said that his country “no longer accepts the UAE’s presence in its political dialogues”. This came during Taher al-Sunni’s speech at the UN Security Council session on Libya, late Wednesday in New York. “The UAE is involved in supporting the failed coup attempt in …
Read More »Turkey announces naval drills off Libya coast
The Turkish Ministry of National Defence has announced that large-scale naval exercises off the Libyan coast will take place soon. According to the official statement, the expected maneuvers will be called “Naftex”, adding that the maritime exercises will take place off the Libyan coast in three different regions: Barbaros, Turgutreis, …
Read More »U.N. chief warns foreign interference in Libya conflict at ‘unprecedented levels’
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned the Security Council on Wednesday that the conflict in Libya has entered a new phase “with foreign interference reaching unprecedented levels.” The oil-producing country descended into chaos after the NATO-backed overthrow of leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. Since 2014, Libya has been split, with …
Read More »France-Turkey spat over Libya arms exposes NATO’s limits
The festering dispute between France and Turkey over a naval standoff in the Mediterranean Sea has shone a glaring searchlight on NATO’s struggle to keep order among its ranks and exposed weaknesses in a military alliance that can only take action by consensus. The dispute has also revealed NATO’s limits …
Read More »Libya ‘will respond’ to airstrikes on Al-Watiya airbase
Libya will respond to recent overnight airstrikes on strategically important Al-Watiya airbase, said Libya’s deputy defense minister Sunday. Writing on social media, Salah Al-Namroush said the airstrikes by foreign fighter jets supporting “war criminal Khalifa Haftar” were a failed attempt to distract from recent victories by the Libyan Army. He …
Read More »Foreign warplanes backing up Haftar strike Al-Watiya airbase in Libya
Foreign warplanes backing up Haftar’s forces carried out airstrikes on Al-Watiya airbase west of the capital Tripoli, on Sunday. Military sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media, said the attacks targeted equipment inside the base, including an air defense system, adding that …
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