Benghazi – European Affairs Magazine

Hafter in Abu Dhabi amid rumours of planned meeting with Serraj

2 Maggio 2017 BreakingNews @en di

A new Libyan-Libyan dialogue could be in preparation between both parts of Libyan political spectrum, indeed, Hafter flew from Benghazi’s Benina Airport, on 1st May, to Abu Dhabi, and according to speculations, he could meet Faiez Serraj, president of the GNA (Government of National Accord) there. According to a statement from the Libyan National Army General Command media office, the visit is at the invitation of Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, the crown prince of Abu Dhabi and deputy commander of the UAE armed forces. However, there have been constant rumours over the past three or four days of an encounter between him and Serraj having been organised by the Emiratis.

Militants bring down another Benghazi bridge say LNA sources.

22 Aprile 2017 BreakingNews @en di

Conflicts continuing in Libya, between Tripoli and Tobruck Militants in Sabri have blown up a second road bridge in an apparent effort to reinforce their positions in the besieged Benghazi enclave. According to the Libyan National Army overnight yesterday explosives were used to bring down a span of a bridge to the east of the district. According to population, the explosion isn’t due to an airstrike, but due to an explosion prepared on the ground. However, since 48h, Sabri and the smaller militnt enclave of Suq Al-Hout, are bombed by Haftar army.

Haftar's fighter aircraft attack opponents positions in Benghazi

4 Aprile 2017 BreakingNews @en di

New wave of violences in the conflict between Benghazi and the LNA (Libyan National Army). The warplanes of Dignity Operation, led by Khalifa Haftar, have carried out over five airstrikes on Benghazi Shura Council in the neighborhoods of Al-Sabri, Sooq Al-Hoot, and Ekhraibish, sources from the media said on Monday. Since two weeks, Dignity Operation has started warplanes attacks.

Libya war: Haftar forces accused of war crimes over alleged civilian killings

2 Aprile 2017 BreakingNews @en di

New allegation of violences from East Libyan Army. Starving residents of a besieged neighbourhood in the eastern city of Benghazi were killed by members of Khalifa Haftar’s Libyan National Army (LNA) as they tried to flee aboard a bus to find food last month, relatives of the victims have told Middle East Eye. Around 25 peoples had been killed during those exactions. The Human Right Watch, asked General Haftar to fulfil investigations.

Bu Khamada: Fighters with mental illness are part of east Libya army.

25 Marzo 2017 BreakingNews @en di

Tensions between East and West Libya. Fighters with psychiatric disorder are fighting alongside Khalifa Haftar’s self-styled Libyan National Army, the commander of Al-Saiqa Forces Wanis Bu Khamada has declared, while he was addressing a tribal group to give excuses for the shocking videos of crimes committed by the army in Benghazi. The polemic is also on war crimes commited last week by General Haftar and his army. Indeed, on the social networks we can see a video showing the General saying : “All weapons are allowed, no mercy, don’t take prisoners, we have no prisons here, the battlefield is the battlefield”, a clear incitation to the violence.

Egypt's Chief of staff says his country persuaded Haftar to repudiate grave-digging crimes.

22 Marzo 2017 BreakingNews @en di

The Egyptian Chief of Staff, Mahmoud Hijazi, said Tuesday that he and Khalifa Haftar had prolonged discussions over a couple of days aiming at convincing the latter to disavow and apologize for the crimes of exhuming the bodies from Ganfouda graves, and killing and torturing civilians and women by his militias in Benghazi. Hijazi told Haftar, that in case of no-disavowing of exactions, he’ll be consider as terrorist organisation. Egypt seems to have a preference for LNA and General Hafter as Libyan counterpart, indeed, last month, Egypt has refused to meet the Seraij, the Libyan President in Tripoli.

Haftar’s forces claim victory in battles in east Libya.

20 Marzo 2017 BreakingNews @en di

East Libyan forces said they captured the final holdout of Islamist-led rivals in the southwest of Benghazi yesterday, ending weeks of resistance by fighters camped in a cluster of apartment blocks. After three years of resistance in Bengazhi, LNA army told that it took control of all the parts of Benghazy. According to first informations, Humanitarians conditions had not been respected, and the evacuation of population has failed.

Al-Obeid accuses Khalifa Haftar of recruiting mercenaries to fight alongside his self-styled army

11 Marzo 2017 BreakingNews @en di

Major General Suleiman Mahmoud, the former National Transitional Council military chief, has accused renegade General KhalifaHaftar of forming an army of militias and hiring mercenaries. Speaking to BBC Arabic, Al-Obeidi said Haftar has also recruited about 500 fighters from his Al-Furjan tribe. “When Haftar was promoted to Marshal, about 7000 mercenaries from the Sudanese Justice and Equality Movement were fighting with him”, he said. Reacting to the Return to Benghazi Military Operation launched by Benghazi Defense Brigades, Al-Obeidi identified members of BDB as Benghazi’s revolutionary fighters who were forcibly driven out of the city. “I am leftist, I can’t accuse them of Islamic extremism andHaftar can’t defeat them alone”, he remarked, referring to last year intervention of two Arab countries “Egypt and UAE” to help Dignity Operation repel the advance of BDB forces. This time, Al-Obeidi called the UN to impose a no-fly zone to facilitate the march of Benghazi Defense Brigades eastward. “We are still under the 7th Chapter, those fighters are under the Government of National Accord”, he noted.

Ahmed Al-Mismari: “We defeated those terrorists several times and we are ready to defeat them again”

7 Marzo 2017 BreakingNews @en di

Spokesperson of Dignity Operation Ahmed Al-Mismari threatened on Monday to sweep away Libya’s oil crescent region after failing to repel the advance of Benghazi Defense Al-Mismari had confirmed his willingness to eradicate the opposition from this part of Libya, especially due to its economic importance. Furthermore, he has also threaten Tripoli. He concludes his brief speech telling that : “We defeated those terrorists several times and we are ready to defeat them again”.The conflict around the oil crescent seems to be at the beginning of a long process of tensions between both until an agreement or the full destruction of one or the other force in presence.

City of Ajdabiya starts arming civilian residents, Defend Benghazi Brigades (DBB) launched a military operation

6 Marzo 2017 BreakingNews @en di

The municipality of the eastern city of Ajdabiya called for arming the civilian residents from those who are capable of carrying weapons as the forces of Defend Benghazi Brigades had advanced deeper eastward. The mayor of the Ajdabiya municipality, Embarek Al-Minfi, is a pro-Haftar person. He was appointed by the military governor of the eastern region, Abdelraziq Al-Nathori, who sacked the elected mayor, Salem Jodran, as part of the militarization of eastern municipal councils that is adopted by the eastern officials under the rule of KhalifaHaftar’s Dignity Operation. Defend Benghazi Brigades (DBB) launched early on Friday a fresh military operation to facilitate the return of Benghazi IDPs to their city, according to Boshra News Agency, the news outlet of Benghazi Shura Council. The DBB forces took control of RasLanuf oil terminal and airport as well as Essidra oil terminal in central Libya, in addition to Ben Jawad and Nofaliya towns, in a surprise attack on Dignity Operation forces there.