Russia and Turkey, the main power brokers in Libya’s civil war, agreed to continue pushing for a cease-fire. Turkey insisted that rebel commander Khalifa Haftar withdraw his troops from critical positions for a deal to be made. Russia backs Haftar while Turkey backs the UN-recognized Government of National Accord (Reuters)
Egyptian Parliament Approves Potential Troop Deployment in Libya
Egypt’s parliament authorized the deployment of troops outside the country after President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi threatened military intervention in Libya. The move could bring Egypt, which backs rebel Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar, into conflict with Turkey, which backs the UN-recognized Government of National Accord (Al Jazeera)
Libyan Government Moves to Recapture Sirte
The UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) moved its fighters closer to the city of Sirte over the weekend. The GNA has said it plans to recapture Sirte from the Libyan National Army, although Egypt, Russia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have threatened to send troops if the GNA attempts to seize the city (Al Jazeera)
UAE Blamed for Libyan Oil Blockade
The country’s national oil company blamed the United Arab Emirates for imposing a blockade that has stopped oil production. The UAE backs rebel commander Khalifa Haftar in the Libyan civil war (Bloomberg)
Libya’s Haftar Sets Conditions for End of Oil Blockade
Rebel commander Khalifa Haftar’s forces said they would allow oil fields and terminals to reopen if there is a mechanism to distribute the profits across Libya and ensure that the money is not used for “terrorists and mercenaries” (Associated Press)
Libya’s Government Condemns Attack on Air Base
The UN-back Government of National Accord (GNA) condemned air raids targeting the al-Watiya airbase near Tripoli, saying the attack was carried out by “foreign air force.” The GNA seized the base from Haftar’s Libyan National Army in May. GNA Deputy Defense Minister Salah al-Namrush promised a “response in the right place and at the right time” (Al Jazeera)
Battle for Libya’s Sirte Continues as Haftar Mobilizes Foreign Mercenaries
Libyan rebel commander Khalifa Haftar is mobilizing thousands of foreign mercenaries in preparation for a battle over the city of Sirte. Libya’s UN representative called on the United States and the European Union to impose sanctions on those supporting Libya’s armed groups (Al Jazeera)
New Push for Cease-Fire in Libya
Germany, Italy, and the United States pushed for a cease-fire in Libya after Egypt threatened military intervention. Additionally, the UN Human Rights Council launched a fact-finding mission to document rights abuses committed during Libya’s war (Associated Press)
Libya Denounces Egypt’s Threat of Military Intervention
Libya’s UN-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) condemned Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi’s threat of military intervention in Libya’s conflict, calling it a “declaration of war.” Sisi, who backs the rebel commander Khalifa Haftar, warned that Cairo could intervene if GNA forces moved on the Libyan city of Sirte (Al Jazeera)
U.S. Accuses Russia of Meddling in Libya
The United States again accused Russia of providing air support to rebel commander Khalifa Haftar in Libya. U.S. Africa Command said it had photo evidence of Russian jets operating in the area (Al Jazeera)
Erdogan Suggests ‘New Era’ Between Turkey, U.S. in Libya
Turkey and the United States reached agreements regarding the conflict in Libya that could usher in a “new era,” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said after a call with U.S. President Trump. Turkey has backed the UN-recognized Government of National Accord (Al Jazeera)
Libya’s Haftar Agrees to Peace Talks
Libyan rebel commander Khalifa Haftar announced that he is ready to enter peace talks after his fourteen-month campaign to capture Tripoli failed (New York Times)
Libyan Government Retakes Capital, Rebel Stronghold
Libya’s UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) took control of Tarhuna, a major western stronghold of rebel commander Khalifa Haftar, a day after retaking Tripoli, ending a fourteen-month assault on the capital (Agence France-Presse)
The conflict is far from over despite the government’s latest victories, as Haftar’s Libyan National Army (LNA) still controls the country’s east and large parts of the south (Al Jazeera)
Libyan Forces Retake Tripoli Airport
The internationally recognized Government of National Accord has retaken control of the Tripoli airport from rebel commander Khalifa Haftar’s Libyan National Army, a government spokesperson said (Al Jazeera)
UN Says Agreement Reached for Peace Talks in Libya
Libya’s internationally recognized government and rebel commander Khalifa Haftar’s forces have agreed to resume talks for a cease-fire after weeks of heavy fighting near Tripoli, the United Nations said. Deliveries of foreign arms to both sides have increased the intensity of the fighting (Reuters)
U.S. Accuses Russia of Aiding Libyan Rebel Leader
Washington accused Moscow of sending fighter jets to support Russian mercenaries fighting alongside Libyan rebel commander Khalifa Haftar. In a statement, the head of U.S. Africa Command said that Russia is “clearly trying to tip the scales in its favor in Libya” (Washington Post)
Turkey Issues Warning to Libya’s Haftar
The Turkish government warned of “grave consequences” if its interests in Libya were targeted by the rebel commander Khalifa Haftar (Al Jazeera)
Turkey has supported the UN-backed government waging war against Haftar’s forces, and has helped secure several victories across western Libya this week (New York Times)
UN Report Details Presence of Russian Military Contractors in Libya
A UN report stated that around twelve hundred Russian military contractors attached to the Wagner Group currently operate in Libya and support the forces of Libyan National Army leader General Khalifa Haftar (Reuters)
Libyan Forces Capture Air Base Outside Tripoli
Forces under Libya’s internationally backed government seized parts of an air base southwest of Tripoli from forces aligned with General Khalifa Haftar (Al Jazeera)
Eastern Libyan Forces Announce Cease-Fire
The eastern Libyan forces opposing the country’s internationally backed government in Tripoli announced a cease-fire for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, citing calls to halt fighting during the coronavirus pandemic (Associated Press)
Libyan rebel commander Khalifa Haftar, who commands forces fighting the country’s internationally recognized government, said he would create new governance structures in areas under his control in eastern Libya (Reuters)
Haftar said a 2015 UN-brokered deal to unite the country was a “thing of the past” (Al Jazeera)
UN-Backed Libyan Government Announces New Curfew
The country’s UN-backed government declared that a twenty-four hour curfew to last ten days will begin tomorrow (Reuters)
Haftar Attacks Tripoli Following Government Offensive
Forces loyal to commander Khalifa Haftar bombarded Tripoli with a series of rocket attacks yesterday, after an offensive by forces from the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) seized three towns (Agence France-Presse)
Separately, the GNA announced it will not allow the entry of migrants rescued at sea (Guardian)
UN-Backed Libyan Government Launches Major Offensive
Libya’s Government of National Accord (GNA) seized control of three cities between Tripoli and the country’s border with Tunisia with the support of Turkish drones, marking the latest escalation in the country’s civil war. International envoys have urged both sides to stop fighting amid the coronavirus pandemic (Al Jazeera)
UN-backed Libyan Government Destroys UAE Drone
The UN-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) announced yesterday that it had shot down a United Arab Emirates drone south of the city of Al-Ajailat. The UAE did not comment on the incident (Anadolu)