General Haftar trying to oust his opponents in Libya

General Kahlifa Haftar commander in chief of the Libyan National Army (LNA) associated with the Tobruk-based government of PM Abdullah al-Thinni has completely broken off relations with the defense minister of the Government of National Accord (GNA).

Although  Al Mahdi Al-Barghathi joined Haftar's Operation Dignity, he is an opponent of Haftar who objected to his becoming defence minister in the UN-backed GNA government. Haftar opposes the GNA and its armed militias. Al-Barghathi is also an ally of Ibrahim Jadhran head of the Petroleum Facilities Guard who also supports the GNA. Jadhran has recently reached an agreement to open a number of exporting ports with the GNA.

As commander of the 204 tanks brigade, Al-Barghathi was quite popular among his troops as a commander who joined them and led them into battle. However, Haftar has now broken off all relations with him and renamed the 204 tanks brigade to the 298 tanks brigade. He appointed Abd Al-Karim Barghouti as the new leader. As well as indicating an attempt to consolidate power in the east, the move represents an escalation of the conflict between the GNA with Haftar and the House of Representatives (HoR) government. Al-Barghthi had earlier been the target of an unsuccessful assassination attempt.

In what may be part of a propaganda campaign. Ahmed al-Mesmari, spokesperson for the LNA accused the US air force bombing the Islamic State in Sirte of hitting vehicles belonging to forces allied with the GNA by mistake. Neither the US nor the GNA have commented on the accusations. Al-Mesmari claimed that Sirte would be liberated by the LNA and not by the US or any other country. However, after announcing a march on Sirte ages ago, the LNA avoided any clashes with the IS in the Sirte area. It is still fighting the remnants of the Benghazi Shura Council fighters in Benghazi and lately also the recenty formed Defend Benghazi Brigades west of Benghazi. He also is carrying out a siege of Derna, Operation Volcano,. against the Derna Shura Council of Mujahideen. The Council fighters had earlier this year been instrumental in expelling the Islamic State from Derna their former stronghold.

The PFG under Ibrahim Jadhran are reported to have repelled an attack by Haftar's forces on Zuetina oil port, about 180 km south west of Benghazi. Haftar had appointed Muftah Shagloof who led the attack as head of the PFG according to Chief of Ajdbiya Borders' Guard, Bashir Bodfairah. Bodfairah explained that the port was attacked because Haftar refuses to resume oil exports through the GNA. LNA troops are said to be just 12 kilometers east of Zuetina. Apparently, Shafloof has been given the task of occupying oil ports in the oil crescent region as well as the oil fields in Wahat, Maradah, and Zallah regions. The conflict between supporters of Haftar in the east and his opponents who support the GNA appears to be escalating.

Libyan unity government protests presence of French troops in Libya without permission

Faiez Serraj, prime minister and head of the Presidency Council (PC) of the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA), delivered a formal protest to French ambassador Antoine Sivan over the presence of French Forces in eastern Libya.

Three French troops, said to be intelligence officials, died when their helicopter either crashed due to mechanical failure, according to the French version, or was shot down as the Defend Benghazi Brigades (DBB) claim. The brigades were formed back in June and by early July had clashed with the forces of the Libyan National Army under General Khalifa Haftar as they moved towards Benghazi. After the three French soldiers were killed there were retaliatory air raids that killed 13 members of the DBB. The DBB blamed the attacks on the French although the French deny any responsibility. There were protests at the time and there have been numerous others since.

Serraj and the French ambassador met on the sidelines of the Arab summit in Nouakchott, Mauritania.The GNA media office said Serraj formally presented the GNA protest, noting that by the French government's own admission its forces had been involved in Libya. There are other foreign forces involved in Libya from the UK and U.S. among other countries and it appears they are working both for the GNA in the offensive against the Islamic State (IS) in Sirte and in helping the forces of Khalifa Haftar and the HoR government attack Islamists in Benghazi and perhaps in Derna as well. These are not officially acknowledged to be present. Serraj noted that the forces had not been authorized by his administration. He said that such an intervention was unacceptable between sovereign states. He demanded an explanation from Paris as to what the forces were doing in Libya. The French government has claimed that its operatives were monitoring terrorist movements.

However, while Haftar and others may consider the DBB terrorists this is not the view of many Islamist groups who are opponents of Haftar and think of him as a war criminal. Attacking Haftar and defending the Shura Council of Benghazi are no doubt seen by many as a patriotic act. The French explanation makes sense only if you take the Haftar view that Islamist-leaning opponents of his Operation Dignity are all terrorists. The French action is also aiding a group and government that does not recognize the GNA and is an obstacle to Libyan unification. The French ambassador insisted that he fully supported the PC and the GNA and promised a formal note would follow from the French government explaining what had happened. It is somewhat contradictory to fully support the GNA while at the same time supporting a rival regime and armed forces who do not recognize the GNA.

Not everyone in the GNA was opposed to the French intervention. Colonel Mahdi Al-Barghathi, the GNA defence minister defended France. He said France and other countries should be counted on to help Libya fight terrorism. Al-Barghathi, joined Operation DIgnity in 2014, even though he is at odds with Haftar who does not support the GNA or approve of Al-Barghathi.as defense minister. He agreed those protesting against French troop presence had a right to do so. He said that the GNA had not authorized the presence of the French agents but the prerogative to do so rested with the HoR. One would think that the GNA as the sole Libyan government, of which he is defense minister, would have the prerogative not a government that does not recognize the GNA! Yet he insisted there was only one government in Libya and it was "stupid, ignorant, and unpatriotic" to try and deny this. Yet it is sensible to insist the unrecognized HoR government has the right to authorize French troops to be in Libya. Reflecting the thinking of those associated with Operation Diignity, Al-Barghathi described the DBB as terrorists with links to Al Qaeda, even though the DBB denies any links to Al Qaeda. Their spiritual leader is the Grand Mufti of Libya who also opposes Haftar. Foreign counter-terror forces Al-Barghathi claims were working against these terrorists. Any other interference such as neo-colonialism he claimed should be resisted. The DBB put out a statement critical of that of the defense minister whom they said paid no attention to the protests of the people, and tried to discredit the group by calling them terrorists and linking them with groups to which they had no connection.

Militants attack eastern city of Ajdabiya in Libya

A recently formed militia of militants who fled Benghazi, the Defend Benghazi Brigades, have attacked the industrial zone of the eastern city of Ajdabiya but were reportedly forced to retreat by General Khalifa Haftar's Libyan National Army.

The Libyan National Army (LNA) are the armed forces of the Tobruk-based House of Representatives (HoR). Neither the HoR nor Haftar recognize the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA). Haftar refuses to join in any unified command as demanded by the GNA. He considers many of the militia fighting for the GNA against the Islamic State to be his enemies. The Benghazi brigades are said to be led by Islamist Zivadj Belam backed by Ismail Salabi.

Akram Bu Haligha, spokesperson for the LNA's Ajdabiya Operations Room, said a convoy of 40 armed vehicles headed to Ajdabiya from the south. Haligha said: “The 101 brigade of the LNA were involved in a clash against the enemies forces at the area of the Man Made River project.” He accused Ibrahim Jadhran, head of the Petroleum Facilities Guard (PFG) of helping the militia to enter Ajdabiya. He further criticized the Brigades for violating the PC demand that different sides should not fight: “Even if we accepted that the Presidency Council is legitimate, this group has violated its [the Presidency Council’s] decision establishing a military operations room from Ajdabiya to Sirte and it prohibited all sides undertaking operations against others.” This is rather ironic since the LNA does not accept the Presidential Council (PC). They would not feel bound by the demand.

Three weeks ago, the Presidency Council set up the Ajdabiya-Sirte Operations Room under the command of Colonel Yousef Ageela. Most of the forces are of PFG men. The order was specifically aimed at the LNA. The Council insists that no military grouping other than forces under its command should undertake any activities in the area. The command has recaptured Ben Jawad, Nufliya, and Harawa from the Islamic State.

The Libya Herald argues that it is unlikely that the PFG would help the Benghazi Defense Brigades (BDB) enter Ajdabiya. The defense minister, Barghathi of the GNA just recently visited the PFG and the group supports the GNA. Barghathi himself spent two years fighting militants in Benghazi. A tweet notes: "GNA's MoD describes "#Benghazi Defense Brigades" which were announced in last 2 days as outlawed terrorist militias. #Libya " However, it should be noted that Barghathi is an opponent of Haftar as is Jodhran of the PFG. The BOB are rumored to be among the forces that were fighting the Islamic State in the offensive against Sirte. The BOB are backed by Sadik Al-Ghariani the Grand Mufti and apparently some business people from Misrata, according to the Herald. Balam has reportedly been active in the eastern part of the Jufra district from which he may have launched his operation.

Martin Kobler, Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) in a tweet condemned the attack: "Strongly condemn the militia's attack on #Ajdabia #Libya. Calls on PC & HoR leadership to quickly work together to advance political process'." He also used the attack as an argument for creating a unified command of all forces including the LNA, tweeting: "#Ajdabiya. crucial to work on joint comand of army under supreme comand of PC. only united & well equip #Libya can fight militia&terrorists". This is useless pleading. Kobler must know that Haftar refuses to accept the PC as commander in chief, and will not unite with militia loyal to the GNA but whom he considers his enemy.

The Libya Observer gives a rather different report on the attack: The Ajdabia Liberation Operations Chamber announced Saturday that it had taken complete hold of Al-Hay Al-Sinayi (Industrial Block) district in southern Ajdabia backed up by some of Defend Benghazi Brigades’ forces.

The member of Ajdabia Liberation Operations Chamber, Abdullah AL-Maghrabi, told Al-Nabaa TV that their forces seized some military camps previously possessed by Haftar’s militias in Al-Nahir district in southern Ajdabia supported by Defend Benghazi Brigades, confirming that a number of Haftar’s militiamen were killed and others wounded, without giving numbers.Al-Maghrabi claimed that his group had also seized a number of vehicles including armored ones from the Haftar LNA. He said that Ajdabiya Liberation Operations Chamber was formed to free the city from Haftar's Dignity Operation and that now they had been joined by the BOB the two had started the process of freeing the city. Operation DIgnity was begun in May 2014 by Haftar to rid Libya of Islamists, or at least all who were opposed to him. The HoR reacted quickly to the attacks: The Speaker of the Tobruk-based HoR, Aqilah Saleh has announced mobilization of fighters and appointed the HoR’s Chief of Staff as a military commander for the districts between Tobruk and Derna as well as Ben Jawad town, in central Libya.

Slaeh’s mobilization decision comes after an attack carried out by Ajdabia Liberation Operations Chamber in cooperation with Defend Benghazi Brigades on southern Ajdabia, where the HoR is in control of the ground (150 km western Benghazi) on Saturday morning.Note that Ben Jawad is under the control of the PFG who support the GNA unlike the HoR and Haftar. There could be more battles brewing between Haftar and the PFG, not only with militants in Ajdabiya.