Clashes continue in Libya as UN tries to hold peace talks

UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon made a surprise trip to Libya to Tripoli in support of an ongoing reconciliation process. Libya has two separate governments, one in Tripoli, and the elected internationally-recognized one in Tobruk.

The two main warring factions are mostly-Islamist-dominated militias that control Tripoli and most of Benghazi and CIA-linked General Khalifa Haftar and his allies, who control the far east and important oil ports. Ban called on Haftar to stop his operations in the east and for the Libyan Dawn militia to leave the international airport in Tripoli. The Islamic militias earlier rejected the peace talks in Ghadames. However, some Islamists who had boycotted the parliament in Tobruk attended. Unless representatives of the militias are involved in negotiations, nothing is likely to be solved. There does not seem to be all-out warfare throughout the country. In fact oil production is increasing. Ban said: "The international community can't tolerate the continuous spilling of blood of Libyans." Ban was at a televised meeting of rival groups plus the Italian foreign minister and other European diplomats. Ban said that fighting had to end without any pre-conditions. Ban does not seem to have noticed that he had just demanded that an Islamist militia withdraw from the Tripoli airport. The UN dialogue was launched on Sept. 29. Ban said: "We understand the path will be long and difficult. The country can't afford to be politically divided." 

Meanwhile fighting between Haftar allies the Zintan Brigades and Libyan Dawn killed at least 23 people in Kikla, southwest of Tripoli, the capital. Hospital authorities in the nearby town of Gharyan — about 80 kilometres southwest of Tripoli — said that there were also 43 people wounded, 10 critically. The clash was a result of the Zintan Brigades trying to take the town occupied by Libya Dawn. The brigades took part of the town but were driven back and the road reopened to the capital. There have also been clashes in the Warshefana district near Tripoli that killed and injured dozens and resulted in 100,000 fleeing their homes.  

Another report claims that 46 were killed in the Kikla clashes as well as in Gharyan. Over 100 were said to be wounded. The towns are in the Nafusa Mountainous area about 120 kilometers south of Tripoli according to that source. The Zintan militias were said to have arrived in a convoy of 100 armoured vehicles and tanks. The attack was launched just as Ban Ki-moon was urging militias to arrange a cease fire. Neither of the competing groups of militia appear ready to negotiate a cease fire at present. The UN seems to be talking with political representatives who have no control over the militias.

More mysterious plane attacks on Islamist positions near Tripoli

General Saqr Jarrushi, an aide to CIA-linked General Hafter, claimed that their forces carried out an air strike on the town of Gharyan, 120 kilometers southwest of the Libyan capital of Tripoli.

Militia in the town are associated with the umbrella group Libya Dawn of mostly Islamist militias that control Tripoli and the international airport there. The same group had been targeted on several nights as it wrested control of Tripoli and the international airport from the Zintan brigades that are allies of Haftar. The rebels accused the UAE and Egypt of being behind the attacks, as did the US — at least for a time. Haftar claimed it was a joint operation by his forces and the international community. The planes involved were not of a type that are part of the Libyan air force.
 The Libyan state news agency said that 15 people were wounded in the recent raid directed at a munitions depot. General Haftar began the main conflict with Islamist militias in May and called it Operation Dignity. He attacked two Islamist bases in Benghazi where he had his headquarters. His allies, the Zintan brigades, attacked the elected parliament, burned it, and kidnapped a number of Islamist legislators and officials. Afterwards they continued to provide security for the Tripoli international airport. However, after lengthy clashes, they were driven out by militia from Misrata and are now being bombarded in an area called Warshefana on the outskirts of the city. The area is surrounded on all sides by militia who are bombarding the area and keeping out supplies.
 Forces loyal to Haftar are threatening to bomb Benghazi port unless authorities closed it to prevent arms from coming in for Islamist militia. He is prepared to ruin the port apparently to prevent it being used to supply the militias. The new legislators elected in June were to meet originally in Benghazi as the interim government had passed a law to move it there. However, before its scheduled meeting, Benghazi was taken over by an umbrella group of Islamist militias who over-ran military bases run by Libyan Special Forces who are allies of Haftar, Haftar still controls an airport on the outskirts from which he still seems able to launch some bombing attacks locally at least.
 It is not clear if he would be able to launch attacks near Tripoli. He may be protecting some foreign government that is giving him aid. The elected legislators finally met in the eastern city of Tobruk. They are loosely allied with Haftar, although the interim government had called Operation Dignity an attempted coup and ordered Haftar arrested. As with many orders of the earlier government the order was never carried out. Many Islamist groups do not recognize the government in Tobruk.
The internationally recognized government in Tobruk has lost control of many ministries. Islamist groups reconvened the General National Congress and it has appointed a new prime minister.
 The head of the UN mission in Libya, Bernardino Leon, who has been on the job only two weeks, said that only a political solution could solve the crisis. However, with the Islamist militias in control of Tripoli and Benghazi and with Haftar resorting to air bombardments after being defeated on the ground and having the internationally recognized government in an area under his control, it seems unlikely that either side is willing to recognize the other as a legitimate partner to forge a political solution. I would not be surprised if within a short time the west will suddenly discover that all the Islamists in Libya are akin to Ansar al-Sharia and need to be defeated and banned from politics as in Egypt. The CIA-linked General Haftar will save Libya from Islamists copying the formula of el-Sisi in Egypt. France is already calling for intervention.

Obama may be planning to intervene in Libya with others

In Obama's recent announcement of the expansion of attacks against the Islamic State in Iraq and also into Syria, he also spoke of the need for vigilance in northern Africa.

Obama may also be turning his sights on a possible intervention in Libya which is more and more described in the media as a failed state. Ever since the CIA-linked General Khalifa Haftar began his Operation Dignity against Islamist militias and had his allies the Zintan Brigades attack and burn parliament while kidnapping some Islamist lawmakers and officials, there have been counter-attacks by umbrella groups of mostly Islamist militias who now control Tripoli and also most of Benghazi.
Obama could argue that the success of Islamist militias could lead to a safe haven for radical Islamist groups. Some radical groups are already associated with Islamist militia umbrella groups, especially in Benghazi, including Ansar al Sharia, the group accused of the attack on the US embassy in Benghazi. The US along with allies could intervene to support the government in Tobruk and indirectly Haftar.
 France is already pushing for intervention. There has already been intervention in the form of several night attacks by mystery planes directed against Islamist targets in Tripoli. They failed to stop the ultimate takeover of the city by the militias. The rebels accused the UAE and Egypt of being behind the attacks. Haftar himself called the attacks a joint project with the international community. Later, the US also accused the UAE and Egypt of being behind the attacks and claimed to have known nothing about the attacks before they happened. This seems quite unlikely. More likely, the US might have even approved even if tacitly. Later still, the US withdrew its accusations against the UAE and Egypt suggesting that the US cannot decide what story it should tell.
 The government elected in June has been meeting in the far eastern city of Tobruk and is loosely allied with Haftar. The interim government had scheduled a meeting of the group in Benghazi where parliament had been moved but the security situation prevented it. In a recent interview, Obama suggested for Libya the sort of nation building and long term commitment which was part of the US occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan neither of which have been very successful so far but cost the US huge sums and many casualties.
 Obama said: "I think we [and] our European partners underestimated the need to come in full force if you’re going to do this. Then it’s the day after Ghadafi is gone, when everybody is feeling good and everybody is holding up posters saying, ‘Thank you, America. At that moment, there has to be a much more aggressive effort to rebuild societies that didn’t have any civic traditions." In neighboring Egypt, the president el-Sisi is waging an all-out battle against any Islamists who oppose his government especially the Muslim Brotherhood which until it was overthrown ran the first elected government. El-Sisi designates these Islamists as terrorists. Obama could very well decide to describe the Islamist militias in Libya as terrorists and intervene as part of his global war on terror.
Obama said: "As Americans, we welcome our responsibility to lead from Europe to Asia—from the far reaches of Africa to war-torn capitals of the Middle East—we stand for justice, for dignity, Abroad, American leadership is the one constant in an uncertain world. It is America that has the capacity and the will to mobilize the world against terrorists.” In his recent speech Obama emphasized that the greatest threats at present come from the Middle East and North Africa where he claims radical groups are exploiting grievances for their own game. General Haftar could very well play a key role in helping Obama rebuild Libya in any attempt to create a Libya more to the liking of the west and western corporations eager to further the exploitation of Libya's vast oil resources.
 One suggestion by Barak Barfi is as follows:"Washington and its partners should persuade the new Libyan government to appoint Haftar as chief of staff. Respected by his troops, he has the military skills and combat experience necessary to create a modern army. But most important, he is the sole Libyan willing to take on the Islamist militias that are preventing the establishment of a modern state" The Tobruk-based government has dismissed 7 ambassadors loyal to the GNC-formed government in Tripoli.

Libya now has one government in Tripoli and another in Tobruk

Yesterday, September 6, the former Libyan parliament the General National Congress(GNC) swore in a new government in Tripoli the capital. On September 7th the House of Representatives elected in June will swear in a cabinet when they meet in Tobruk.

The government in Tobruk meets there because the government was originally supposed to move from Tripoli to Benghazi but could not meet there as the city is now mostly controlled by an umbrella group of Islamist militias. 

The GNC-sponsored government is supported by Islamist militias and others opposed to CIA-linked General Haftar, whose allies the Zintan brigades have been driven from Tripoli by the Islamist umbrella group Libya Dawn. The government in Tobruk is loosely linked to General Haftar. Omar al-Hassi, the Prime Minister and 10 ministers including the oil minister, justice minister, and minister for foreign affairs were sworn in. The GNC refused to recognize the legitimacy of the assembly in Tobruk. The newly elected parliament headed by previous prime minister Abdullal al-Thinni is to swear in the new government there today.

 While the Tobruk government is recognized internationally, it has lost control of ministries located in Tripoli. The United Nations claims that fighting in the two main cities of Tripoli the capital and Benghazi in the east resulted in a quarter of a million people fleeing, with 100,000 being displaced internally.

 Reuters reports on a Libyan claim that a Sudanese plane might be bound for Tripoli carrying arms for militias that control the city. By "Libya" Reuters means the government in Tobruk. The government statement said: "This work from the Sudanese state violates (the sovereignty) of the State of Libya and interferes with its affairs.We, the Libyan government, firmly denounce that a Sudanese military plane has penetrated the Libyan airspace without an official permit from the Libyan government. The plane was carrying ammunition which had not been officially approved by the Libyan government." 

 Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi the Egyptian president expressed support for the parliament in Tobruk and warned against foreign intervention in Libyan affairs. However, according to the US, Egypt and the UAE have already been involved in several night bombings of Tripoli recently as the Islamists were in the process of driving out Haftar's allies the Zintan brigades. The US claims the planes came from the UAE but used bases in Egypt to launch the attacks. However, the enclosed video claims that the US decided to withdraw its claims about Egypt and the UAE. Haftar himself claimed the bombings were a joint action by him and the international community without naming any countries. Even before the US spoke out, Islamists had blamed the UAE and Egypt.

 El-Sisi also said if there were intervention in Libya, Egypt could act to defend its national security. While most of Tripoli is now relatively quiet fighters from Operation Dawn who control Tripoli have been clashing with the Warshefana tribe allied with the Zintan brigades in the Warshefana area that is southwest of Tripoli. British Ambassador Michael Aron confirmed the clashes in a tweet from Tripoli: "City is quiet. Families out on seafront last night. But shelling of Warshefana areas clearly heard,"

Islamist militia occupy residential annex to US Libyan embassy

Libyan militia members believed to be from Misrata took control of a residential annex of the US Embassy in Tripoli although there is no report of any breach of the main embassy compound.

Embassy personnel were evacuated last month because of the worsening security situation in the capital Tripoli. A YouTube video shows dozens of men on the patio of a swimming pool with some diving into the pool from the balcony of a building nearby. A group of Islamist-linked militias now control Tripoli including the international airport. However, the airport is in ruins with many planes damaged or destroyed, after lengthy clashes between militia mainly from Misrata and the Zintan brigades allied with General Haftar. Haftar launched a campaign against Islamist militias called Operation Dignity. The Zintan brigades earlier had attacked and ransacked parliament and kidnapped a number of Islamist legislators and officials but nevertheless were charged with providing security for the international airport.

 Mystery planes that the US claims came from the UAE via Egypt carried out attacks on Islamic-linked militia targets for three nights during one week. However, the Islamist-linked militias now appear to have control of Tripoli. Earlier they occupied a military base in Benghazi in eastern LIbya and routed Libyan Special Forces that are allies of Haftar and provided security for Benghazi. An umbrella group of Islamist-linked militia took control of Benghazi with Haftar forces controlling only an airport on the city perimeter. 

 The US withdrew all embassy personnel on July 26, driving them out of Tripoli and over to the Tunisian border under armed guard and with air support as the security situation near the embassy deteriorated. The residential annex occupied by the militia is apparently about a mile from the main embassy compound. All sensitive materials had already been moved out or destroyed before the evacuation. 

The US ambassador to Libya Deborah Jones tweeted that a video posted on You Tube appeared to show "a residential annex of the US mission but cannot say definitively". She also added that the US embassy compound "is now being safeguarded and has not been ransacked." 

The Islamists convened the General National Council and elected Omar al-Hasi the new prime minister. He is charged with setting up an alternative parliament and forming a salvation government in opposition to the parliament elected in June that convened in the far eastern city of Tobruk because of insecurity in Benghazi and Tripoli. Al-Hasi has been urging diplomatic missions to return to Tripoli and promises them protection.

 Apparently an AP reporter was actually invited inside the US embassy annex by the Islamist umbrella group Dawn of Libya: An Associated Press journalist reported walking through the two-story structure Sunday -- its windows broken -- after an umbrella group for Islamist militias, Dawn of Libya, invited onlookers inside. The journalist reported seeing treadmills, food, televisions and computers still inside. The Central Shield one of the major groups within Libyan Dawn said that it was prepared to negotiate with the UN's special envoy to Libya.