Sabratha

Khalifa Haftar: Libyan Army is launching legitimate war in Sabratha

Published on 4 Ottobre 2017 in AFRICA/PRESS RELEASE/REGIONS by pressrelease

Renegade Libyan General, Khalifa Haftar, has declared that one of the warring groups in Sabratha is affiliated with his self-styled army, saying the ongoing fighting in the city is legitimate. In a statement to Italy’s AKI news agency, Haftar revealed that the ISIS Fighting Operation Room is launching a legitimate war against the terrorists and human smugglers and traffickers. The power-obsessed General also denied social media claims of his meeting with Commander of Tripoli Revolutionaries’ Brigade, Haitem Tajouri, in France, saying he rejects “the principle of sitting down with leaders of undisciplined groups”. The ISIS Fighting Operation Room is made up of former army officers. It’s backed by a Salafist militia group called “Wadi Brigade”, which is controlled by followers of Madkhali sect and owes allegiance to Khalifa Haftar’s Dignity Operation. Dignity Operation spokesperson, Ahmed Al-Mismari, told Sky News Arabia TV on Sunday that the ISIS Fighting Operation Room and Wadi Salafist militia are their affiliates and they will continue the fighting until they eradicate the “terrorist groups” from Sabratha.

Still no ceasefire in Sabratha

Published on 30 Settembre 2017 in AFRICA/PRESS RELEASE/REGIONS by pressrelease

Sabratha remains quiet but still tense today with just occasional shots reportedly being fired in the town. Large parts are in the hands of the Anti-IS Operations Room (AIOR), which yesterday extended its control by seizing the famous Sabratha Roman ruins, a UNESCO world heritage site. There are worrying reports of damage to the ruins. Many fighters in the opposing 48th Battalion, which includes the Amu Brigade led by Ahmed Dabashi, are reported to have been forced to withdraw, east to Sorman and west to the Mellitah Oil and Gas complex. Meanwhile, negotiations to secure a permanent ceasefire have continued although Sabratha Media Centre, which supports the 48th Battalion, today reported that the Operations Room had again rejected a deal.The head of the town’s military council, Taher Al-Gharbali, has again demanded the Presidency Council’s government of national accord (GNA) order a ceasefire, saying that at that point his forces would take on anyone who broke it.

Temporary ceasefire in Sabratha as elders from Zintan and Zawia try to mediate peace

Published on 21 Settembre 2017 in AFRICA/PRESS RELEASE/REGIONS by pressrelease

Despite clashes for the fourth day early this morning in Sabratha, the town centre was reported calm by midday as a temporary truce took hold to enable elders from Zintan and Zawia to try and negotiate a permanent ceasefire between the belligerents. Later though, there were violations to the truce and in one incident a 48-year-old man was reported by Sabratha media centre to have been wounded as a result of mortar fire. This evening there were then reports that efforts at mediation were failing with both sides refusing to hand over weapons. “Everything is now quiet”, a prominent local activist had told the Libya Herald during the day, adding that the elders had been joined by those from Sabratha itself in the quest for peace.The conflict started on Saturday when an Amu unit refused to stop at a checkpoint in the town manned by the operations room. There was then shooting in which at least one Amu member was killed.

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