Tobruk government rejects UN criticism of Haftar's "Operation Doom"

The internationally-recognized House of Representatives(HoR) government based in Tobruk has reacted angrily to a recent press release of the UN Support Mission in Libya's(UNSMIL) condemning the recently announced military operation in Benghazi.

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The HoR completely rejected the accusation by the UNSMIL and special envoy, Bernardino Leon, that the military action launched by commander of the Libyan National Army Khalifa Haftar named Operation Doom, was a deliberate attempt to derail the dialogue process taking place in Skhirat Morocco. The UN has repeatedly asked that both sides refrain from any military action against each other during the talks. The UN press release claimed that the operation was a deliberate attempt to undermine the peace process.

Khalifa Haftar, has been carrying out Operation Dignity since May 2014 designed to rid Libya of Islamists. However, Haftar considers all Islamists terrorists and this includes supporters of the General National Congress(GNC) based in Tripoli. An HoR spokesperson said:“We are very surprised by the UNSMIL statement from Bernadino Leon and do not accept it. The army is fighting IS terrorists in Benghazi, who do not believe in civil government. And the people are supporting the army”.

The HoR is correct that some of those they are fighting are terrorists. The Islamic State fighters are terrorists opposed not only by the GNC government but even by the Shura Council of Benghazi Revolutionaries the umbrella group of Islamists whom Haftar is also fighting. This group is supported by the GNC government. The attack on them may already have resulted in the GNC withdrawing its negotiators from the talks. The head of the HoR air force Al Jaroushi also said when Operation Doom was announced that the operation would move on to take Tripoli and Misrata and other cities in the area controlled by the GNC when Benghazi was regained. The HoR should be surprised that the HoR is not also being roundly condemned for supporting Operation Dignity and Haftar.

The year-long conflict in Benghazi has resulted in a humanitarian disaster with hundreds of thousands fleeing the conflict and parts of the city reduced to rubble by constant bombardment and artillery fire with neither side showing concern for civilian casualties. Haftar's forces have suffered significant casualties whenever they have attempted to retake more of the city. At one time the Shura Council group had control of almost all the city whereas now most of it is controlled by Haftar and the HoR government.

Haftar has always supported a military solution to the two-government problem vowing to defeat the Libya Dawn forces associated with the GNC government. He has never accepted any agreement negotiated by Leon and has often tried to disrupt the peace talks. He would like to see Libya run by a military council after the mandate of the HoR runs out near the end of October. A recent demonstration in the city of Ajdabiya opposed Haftar's plans to set up such a council. The commander of the militia that guard the oil ports has also come out in opposition to Haftar even accusing Haftar of attempting to assassinate him. There seems little hope of peace in Libya any time soon. Haftar was previously a CIA asset and worked for them in Chad. He is a US citizen now:The C.I.A. had to airlift Haftar and three hundred and fifty of his men to Zaire and, eventually, to the United States. Haftar was given citizenship, and remained in the U.S. for the next twenty years.

Internationally-recognized LIbyan government plane sinks ship near Benghazi port

On Sunday, July 19, a Libyan war plane from the forces of the internationally-recognized Tobruk government attack and sank a vessel near the port city of Benghazi according to a spokesperson for the air force.

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While there were no eyewitness reports or any other independent confirmation of the sinking it was also reported on the Al-Arabiya TV network. According to the air force spokesperson, Nassera al-Hassi: "The vessel was sunk because it had loaded fighters, weapons and ammunition to support terrorism in the eastern region."

The forces of the Tobruk government under the command of CIA-linked General Khalifa Haftar have been on an offensive in Benghazi to try and drive out forces of the Shura Council of Benghazi Revolutionaries, an umbrella group that includes Ansar al-Sharia, the group accused of the attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi that killed the U.S. ambassador, several CIA agents and staff. While Haftar has retaken much of the city, parts still remain in control of Islamists. Haftar launched his Operation Dignity in May of 2014 to purge Libya of islamists including the forces of the rival Tripoli government. Recently there are reports that the Islamic State(IS) is also fighting in Benghazi along with Ansar al-Sharia, a surprising situation if true since the two groups are bitter foes, as many IS fighters converted to IS from Ansar al-Sharia. In a recent clash, the key commander of Libyan Special Forces — who are loyal to Haftar — was killed by a sniper. This has resulted in fierce bombardment by air and artillery of residential areas held by the Islamists that has been condemned by the UN. The attack on the ship may be part of a new push to defeat the Islamists.

A Globe and Mail report cites Mohamed El Hejazi a spokesperson for Khalifa Haftar as saying that a second ship which he claims was carrying weapons was attacked in the same area. A military official said the ships were small, about the size of fishing boats, and came from western Libya in areas controlled by the rival Tripoli government. The official said that one boat had been sunk and the other one was burning. The National Oil Company has accused the Tobruk government of bombing oil tankers based upon claims that they carried weapons and ammunition.

Not long ago, Tobruk planes bombed a ship unloading fuel for a power plant in Sirte. Although much of Sirte at the time was controlled by the Islamic State, the area where the boat was unloading the fuel was controlled by Tripoli forces as was the area with the power plant. The area has since been taken by IS. In January, a Greek-operated tanker unloading heavy fuel oil according to the National Oil Company was also attacked killing two seamen. The Tobruk government claimed the ship was carrying weapons for jihadists in Derna. A Turkish ship off the port of Tobruk was attacked after it was warned not to approach according to Tobruk authorities. One crew member was killed in the attack which was in international waters. Turkey described the event as a contemptible attack. The attack is described in the appended video.

In spite of cease fire in Libya conflict continues in several areas

Clashes took place in Benghazi where pro-government forces led by CIA-linked General Khalifa Haftar have been trying to retake the city from an umbrella group of Islamist militias opposed to the Tobruk governent.

After recent peace talks brokered by the UN, Libya Dawn, the main militia associated with the Tripoli-based government, declared a ceasefire. A few days later, the internationally recognized government in the eastern city of Tobruk also declared a ceasefire. However, the government said that it would continue to pursue terrorists. As a result, there has seemingly been no ceasefire at all in Benghazi, where Haftar continues his attempt to retake the city from the Shura Council of Benghazi Revolutionaries who captured most of the city last July.

Haftar began the present campaign against Islamists back in February last year culminating in his Operation Dignity launched last May. Up until now, he has lost the two major cities, Tripoli and Benghazi, to the opposition but appears to have retaken at least some of Benghazi. The latest clashes come as he tries to take the port area. Haftar tends to view all his enemies as "terrorists." He probably hopes to concentrate attacks on key areas such as Benghazi, while due to the ceasefire other fronts will be quiet. It is not working out that way as the other side has launched an attack on an oil port.

  In the battle for the Benghazi port area, seven soldiers are reported killed. Soldiers took over several government buildings including a passport office and a state bank that had been damaged in earlier fighting. Army sources said 25 soldiers were wounded. A military commander reported the the road to the port was under pro-government forces' control.

  A militia group allied to the Tripoli government is carrying out Operation Shorouq designed to capture the key oil ports of Es Sider and Ras Lanauf from forces loyal to the Tobruk government. A commander of the militia Mussab Bala said: "Thank God there is a dialogue. But they say they support the dialogue and then bomb us with war planes.They target civilian facilities."

The UN for its part does not mention government attacks on these militia but singles the militia out for condemnation for breaking the ceasefire agreement. There is no specific mention of Haftar's campaign in Benghazi. The UN is probably under pressure to take sides. The UN has been careful not to refer to any governments in its releases but just to participants in the peace talks. This is probably a wise tactic. The Libyan Supreme Court on November 6 last year ruled that the elections establishing the Tobruk government last June were unconstitutional and that the Tobruk House of Representatives should be dissolved. Neither government recognizes the legitimacy of the other.

Both sides are united against some of the more radical Islamic jihadist groups operating in Libya. The Tripoli government suffered an attack on its territory. The Islamic State attacked the luxury Corinthia Hotel in Tripoli causing a number of casualties including several foreigners, among them an American. More recently, an attack on the al-Mabrouk oil field about 100 miles south of city of Sirte was also attributed to a group loyal to the Islamic State by a representative of the guards protecting the facility. Nine guards and one employee from Niger were reported killed. The attackers abducted seven foreigners including three Filipinos.

 More dialogue and peace talks are proposed for the future. In earlier talks neither the Tripoli government nor its militia representatives participated. The next talks are to take place in Libya and Tripoli may participate but given the continuing clashes on the ground it is not clear when, where, or even if new talks will take place.

The appended video reports a stunning development that seems not to be on western news media radar. After launching a successful coup against the former government that was also led by present prime minister of the Tobruk government, Abdullah al-Thinni, Haftar is not satisfied that the new government is following his line sufficiently. He now wants to form a military council with himself as head and has given the Tobruk government a deadline to do his bidding. Where are UN or western statements about this development?