Libya: Turkish involvement reverses LNA gains, resulting in Egypt issuing warning , continue and we enter the fray.

(Tripoli)  At the start of the year things didn't look too good for the Government of National Accord (GNA)  the so called UN sanctioned band of jihadi groups which after refusing to acknowledge the result of elections in June 2014 which they lost, took Tripoli and Misrata by force resulting in the elected Government  the House of representatives to seek shelter first Tobruk and then Benghazi where they tasked  Khalifa Haftar to take back the country with the Libyan National Army (LNA)

This he almost achieved when the lay of the land 6 months ago looked like this: (Blue being the GNA, brown being the LNA)

Today, with a little help from the Turks and at least 20000 imported Syrian jihadists, the lay of the land looks a lot healthier for the GNA . (Just for the info the maps show approx 1/6th of the total area of Libya)

The GNA with the support of the Turks are currently retaking lost ground, however they may have bitten off more than they can chew. As the Egyptians who have been massing  their military on the Libyan border for the past few weeks , have stated that if the GNA advance onto Sirte.(they are currently on the outskirts, they will enter Libya on the side of the LNA. 

#BREAKING: #Egypt Army is sending more armored equipment to the border with #Libya. I just received this video showing M113A2 armored personnel carriers on their ways to the border. They will be delivered to #Libyan National Army to be used against #GNA's terrorists. pic.twitter.com/9LuGJBREyz

— Babak Taghvaee - Μπάπακ Τακβαίε - بابک تقوایی (@BabakTaghvaee) June 10, 2020

On 14 June, #Egyptian President #Sisi paid a visit to Sidi-Barrani Air Base in west of #Egypt during which he gave speech to the air force personnel who are involved in #Libyan operations. He announced that #Egyptian armed forces are ready to confront #Egypt's enemies in #Libya. https://t.co/Qo71TugaoD pic.twitter.com/MhRdiJwuAL

— Babak Taghvaee - Μπάπακ Τακβαίε - بابک تقوایی (B) (@BabakTaghvaee1) June 20, 2020

Libya: What is happening (Part 3)

(Tripoli)  Whilst Turkey was denied the ability to reinforce the GNA with heavy weapons by the Greeks and Egyptians , the LNA has been receiving arms and vehicles by sea and air:

#Libya- video of the purported new shipment showing a good few dozens of pickup trucks delivered to the #LNA via #Benghazi pic.twitter.com/Qtc2U5he0s

— Oded Berkowitz (@Oded121351) January 2, 2020

And quickly dispatched towards the front line in which to combat the Syrian rebels flown in these past few weeks before the Turks pull their finger out:

1)
The #LNA 210th Battalion moves with all its equipment and machinery.
Good luck for the task assigned to it. pic.twitter.com/DiFD1Fbrqe

— M.LNA.2 (@MLNA27) January 1, 2020

Which is where a LNA drone spotting a group of men unleashed a missile the otherday killing 30 people and injuring another 33 on the premise that they were Syrian rebels. Unfortunately they were army cadets:

#GNA officials released video showing how a Blue Arrow 7 (BA-7) air-to-surface missile launched from a Wing Loong-II UCAV of #Libya National Air Force hit a group of recently graduated cadets in Military College of #Tripoli. This missile killed 28 cadets & injured 23 others. pic.twitter.com/bQNfuYRnuu

— Babak Taghvaee (@BabakTaghvaee) January 5, 2020

The bitter irony here is there is an actual war going on in Libya, and has been in one form or another for the past 9 years. The other day 30 men were killed and another 33 injured and not one liberal in the west is bothered, but take out a terrorist enabler who ordered the murder of over 1500 of his own people and the liberal world is up in arms.

Libya: What is happening (Part 2)

(Tripoli) So after the Turks sent thousands of Syrians rebels to fight the good fight

#BREAKING: Al-Shahed Newspaper released one of the images leaked today showing #Turkey backed Jihadists of #Syrian National Army in #Gaziantep airport just before boarding one of two #Turkish Air Force's A400Ms & fly to #Istanbul last night. From #Istanbul they flew to #Libya. https://t.co/4rI6jwYJwd pic.twitter.com/7tGlRUPs5E

— Babak Taghvaee (@BabakTaghvaee) December 30, 2019

and straight away they got stuck in:

#BREAKING: With help of #Syrian mercenaries & three suicide bombers, #Turkey backed militias of #GNA forced #Libya National Army to retreat from the strategic airport road in #Tripoli.#LNA's reinforcement from #Benghazi will arrive #Tripoli to help recapture of this road tomorrow pic.twitter.com/NQQsIniIvC

— Babak Taghvaee (@BabakTaghvaee) December 30, 2019

However the LNA have helicopter gunships such as the Mil 24 and  Mil 35, which in a nutshell are  flying tanks:

You can see the #LNAF Mi-35 providing close air support for #Libya National Army via attacking positions of #Turkey backed militias of #GNA in outskirts of #Tripoli. #Libya National Air Force has a Mi-24P and a Mi-35 heavy attack helicopter on deployment in Al-Watiya Air Base. pic.twitter.com/5jJGMt8mDp

— Babak Taghvaee (@BabakTaghvaee) January 2, 2020

Knowing that time is of the essence Turkey voted to send a load of its own troops last week, and tried to set up a deal with Tunisia , where they offered to build  a children's hospital, in exchange for a spot at one of their military airfields for Turkish F16s, unfortunately for the Turks the Tunisians said no.

The Limit on Turkey's 'Big Stick'' in Libya: Turkey does not currently possess the capability to conduct Close Air Support and Combat Air Patrol ops in far away Libya | Tunisia refusing access to Turkey sealed this | Turkey will not have this capability until late 2020/early 2021 pic.twitter.com/sz0Dtj1Ecw

— Michael Tanchum (@michaeltanchum) January 2, 2020

Denied that crucial air support which could turn the tide in the GMAs favour, the Turks looked set to send a fleet off the shore of Libya. But that was too was stymied when Egypt and Greece taking a page out of Ankara book of declaring an area off-limits by hosting a military exercise  between the two nations effectively blocking any Turkish reinforcements from reaching Libya by sea

#BREAKING: Naval Forces of #Egypt & #Greece will hold joint military exercise close to the #Libya's territorial waters. As its result airspace and international waters which are useful for #Turkey to send troops to #Libya will be blocked on #Turkish Navy & Air Force! pic.twitter.com/bbGGDZhJz6

— ISCResearch (@ISCResearch) January 2, 2020

Libya: What is happening (Part 1)

(Tripoli) The current bun fight currently taking place in Libya is getting murkier by the day. The UN approved government  'the Government of National Accord (GNA)' split in half in 2015 with the Tobruk based Libyan House of Representatives forming its own government in 2016 and finally going its own way in 2017. since then the  2 sides have been at war in which to take control of the entire country . Unfortunately for the GNA, it is a hotchpotch of tribes and doesn't have the military might of the  House of Representatives army 'the Libyan National Army' (LNA) led by Khalifa Haftar. who is supported by the UAE, Egypt and Russia with arms and money. After clearing out the areas around Tobruk of militia and warlords, the LNA set its sights on Tripoli and currently has the capital surrounded as depicted by the following three maps taken from Live maps

Maps from Live maps

The situation on the ground is that everything blue is controlled by the GNA, everything red is controlled by the LNA. As you can see the latter has the upperhand.  As mentioned the LNA has some powerful and rich friends , air-support has been provided by the UAE , Russia is providing an extensive repair facility which in the 11 months up to last Sept inspected, serviced and repaired the following

• 100 T-55, 35 T-62, and 10 T-72 tanks; 
• 77 BMP-1 infantry fighting vehicles; 
• 210 BTR-60 armoured personnel carriers; 
• 21 BREM armoured recovery vehicles; 
• 41 BRDM-2 armoured reconnaissance vehicles;
• 10 MT-LB armoured tracked carriers. 
• 20 2S1 self-propelled gun-howitzers,
• 6 BM-21 multiple rocket launchers, 
• 1 2S3 self-propelled howitzer.

The support from the UAE and Russia has been invaluable and currently they have the GNA besieged.  What I find strange is that the GNA is the official UN government and whilst the UN will not get involved in a  civil war, the support of the three countries listed should be enough for the UN to do something m, but like elsewhere it is impotent and the only country which has gone on record to help the GNA has been Turkey. it supplied the GNA with MRAP vehicles last year and supported them with UAVs, problem is, the LNA have taken a very heavy toll amongst the Turkish supplied drones. Last week Turkey voted to send troops to Libya in which to prevent the fall of the GNA. But before that they deployed thousands of Syrian rebels last week where they stemmed an LNA thrust near the capital with 3 suicide bomb attacks.

Libya US airstrike takes out 11 terrorists

(Murzuk) United States Africa command has released a statement that U.S. forces In coordination with the Libyan Government of National Accord conducted a precision airstrike near Murzuk, Libya, on September 25^th , killing 11 ISIS terrorists .

U.S. Africa Command airstrike targets terrorist fighters.https://t.co/MwX4llX0wL pic.twitter.com/hHVxH0qJxa

— US AFRICOM (@USAfricaCommand) September 25, 2019

This strike  follows on from an airstrike in the same area 5 days ago which killed 8 ISIS terrorists 

Libya; US Javelin missiles found in country were sold to....France.

(Tripoli)  I mentioned the other day about the bun-fight currently in play around the capital city of Libya between the 2 strongest actors UN recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) and the Libyan National Army (LNA) backed by the likes of Egypt and the UAE. Well after initial success against the GNA, the LNA have had to pull back due to losses on the ground which resulted in the bombing of a migrant centre the other week

After the LNA lost the strategic city of Gharyan, it was reported that a number of advanced FGM-148 Javelin missiles were recovered. Initially everybody started pointing the finger of blame at the UAE which had purchased a large number of the missiles. Well the US sent in a team to check the verify the find and surprise , surprise on checking the serial  numbers of the missiles , they found that France and not the UAE was the source of the missiles. The French armed forces minister has confirmed that the Javelin missiles found in Gheryan belonged to French forces but said they were damaged and no longer usable. He stated that the missiles were being temporarily stored in a warehouse awaiting destruction and were not transferred to local forces. The funny thing is, not only were they were found in a LNA arms compound, but the French embassy in Libya openly stated that there were no French troops in Libya

L'ambassade de 🇨🇵 en Libye dément catégoriquement la présence de soldats ou personnel militaire français à Gharyan #FakeNews

— La France en Libye (@AmbaFranceLibye) 1 July 2019

The above reads as: French Embassy in Libya categorically denies the presence of French soldiers or military personnel in Gharyan This find will have questions raised regards how France a Security Council member appears to be supporting a warlord intent on removing the UN recognised government in Libya

Libya: Air strike hits migrant detention centre, 40 killed

(Tripoli) The battle by the two regional sides in Libya -the eastern-based Libyan National Army (LNA) backed by Egypt and the UAE and controlled by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar and the Western based UN recognised Governmentof National Accord (GNA) – has been ongoing since April the 4^th when Haftar sent his forces west with the message 

‘Capture Tripoli ‘. 

Well after much fighting (739 killed and over 4000 injured. The LNA have failed to take the capital and of late have started to lose ground, which is how last week (June 26^th) the LNA lost the strategic town of Gharyan, the capture of which on the 2^nd April  was the starting pistol which started this bunfight  in which to be able to proclaim:

“There can be only one”

It appears that the LNA stung by the change in the wind and the reversal of fortunes , stated on Monday, it would start heavy air strikes on targets in Tripoli after “traditional means” of war had been exhausted. Problem is, on Tuesday evening they struck a migrant detention centre killing 40 and injuring another 80. Naturally the LNA have gone into Bart Simpson mode and proclaimed that it wasn't me and instead blamed the GNA for the attack. They could be telling the truth, , but all the evidence points the finger of blame at them.  Only time will tell. 

Ramadan Death Count: Libya 4/06/19 (Washup)

(Tripoli)  The World Health Organisation has reported that between the 4th April and the 31st May 2019, the conflict around the capital between the 2 main (But rival) factions has resulted in  607 deaths and 3,261 wounded. Seen as Ramadan began on the 6th of May I am simply going to cut the figure in half minus 3 for the 3 deaths I reported on the country since the beginning of Ramadan and then cut 100 from that figure to err on the side of caution and leaving me with a figure of 200.
The break down for that  607 is as follows:

• Libyan National Army: 194 deaths
• Government of National Accord: 373 killed
• Civilians : 40 killed

Fighting around Tripoli airport over the weekend saw 15 soldiers from the UN recognised 'Government of National Accord killed by General Hafters Libyan National army. 

Ramadan death toll stands at 1,368

Ramadan Death Count: Libya 9/05/19

(Ghadwa) Despite the heavy fighting currently place in the capital over the adage “There can be only  one”  In the south of the country, ISIS has decided to take advantage of the concentration of forces  in Tripoli to launch a wave of deadly attacks during Ramadan simply because they can. Which is why today they struck a small town town 80 miles from the lonely town of Sabha where they simply drove into the town killed 3 people and then drove off back into the desert no questions asked.

Ramadan death toll stands at 21

Libya: on the boil again

(Tripoli) Libya since the fall of Gadiffi has fallen into something that resembles the political map of the Game of thrones with each separate faction declaring itself the master of the country. To the West we have the UN recognised Government of National Accord (GNA)  , to the East we have Military warlord 'Khalifa Haftar' and his LNA ,in between and dotted around there are ISIS, Tuarag , Toubou and other militia. The two main ones however are the GNA and LNA.

However whilst the world has had its eyes on the protests inside Algeria . Haftar has moved a sizable force across the middle of the country in which to take the town of  Garyan a mere 100 Kilometres from the capital of Tripoli .

He has now ordered his troops to march on the capital. This latest development entails a huge problem for the UN which has found itself backing a losing side in a conflict . The thing is with the U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres  currently in Tripoli , will he get the UN security council to use force to stop the Egyptian and UAE backed Haftar and his self proclaimed Libyan National Army,

Libya:Clashes in capital sees 10 killed

(Tripoli) The death toll from clashes between rival militias in the Libyan capital Tripoli has risen to 10 killed and 41 wounded. Fighting broke out this week between a coalition of Tripoli militias, known as the Tripoli Protection Force (TPF), and the 7th Brigade, or Kaniyat, from Tarhouna, a town 65 km (45 miles) southeast of Tripoli.

The resumption of fighting in Qasr bin Ghashir puts an end to the UN brokered ceasefire from September 2018 which ended the militia fighting that had started on 26 August. Naturally both sides blame the other.

Libya: Internecine fighting sees 11 people killed

(Tripoli)   Libya’s Ministry of Health has reported that clashes which broke out in the capital Tripoli this past Friday saw 11 people killed and another 59 injured

This brings the death toll of the fighting between warring parties this past month in the capital to 96 deaths and 365 injuries since the beginning of the fighting in Aug. 26 which has seen forces allied with the UN-backed government fighting the "7th Brigade" militia from the city of Tarhuna, some 80 km southeast of Tripoli.

Ramadan Death Count: Libya: 15/06/18

(Tripoli) Clashes between the Libyan army and armed terrorists from the Benghazi Defence Brigades on Thursday killed five army soldiers in the oil crescent region. The army said in a statement.

"Battalion 302 Thunderbolt lost 4 of its members in the battles of the oil crescent region, while another soldier of the Tanks Battalion was killed," 

(Tripoli) The fighters of the self-styled army in eastern Libya led by Khalifa Haftar have killed two unarmed civilians in broad daylight in Derna amid tens of peer fighters chanting and applauding saying “Allah Akbar.” What makes this even more damning is they actually filmed themselves killing their victims.

Ramadan death toll stands at 1884

Libya US airstrike takes out 4 terrorists

(Bani Waled)  United States Africa command has released a statement that U.S. forces In coordination with the Libyan Government of National Accord conducted a precision airstrike near Bani Walid, Libya, on June 6, killing four (4) ISIS-Libya terrorists .

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U.S. Conducts Precision Strike in Libya - https://t.co/4T77kuvYuQ pic.twitter.com/OXGYYUBzXG

— US AFRICOM (@USAfricaCommand) 6 June 2018

Ramadan Death Count: Libya: 03/06/18

(Ajdabiya)  A suspected ISIS attack on a military checkpoint on Saturday claimed the life of a civilian woman who was unfortunately passing by the check point with her family whilst five of her family were injured.

(Derna) At least 17 civilians have been killed in an offensive by military strongman Khalifa Haftar’s forces to take the last city in eastern Libya beyond his control, the UN said Friday.

(Bani Walid)  The UN reports that Human traffickers killed more than a dozen people and wounded many others after a group of some 200 Eritreans, Ethiopians and Somalis, being held captive, attempted to escape,” The local Libyan authorities have transferred 140 people who managed to escape from the traffickers to an official detention centre in Gaser Ben Gashir, 28 kilometres south of Tripoli.

(Sabha) An armed group launched a surprise attack on Tamanhint airbase,  on Thursday, and took over control before Khalifa Haftar forces, which control the airbase, managed to retake it again. One of Haftar’s fighter was killed and four others wounded in the attack.

Ramadan death toll stands at 623

Ramadan Death Count: Libya: 25/05/18

(Benghazi) Some loon decided to set off a huge car bomb early this morning on a busy street in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi killing at least seven people, and injuring another 20.

The blast early on Friday morning took place behind the city's largest hotel, Tibesti, on a commercial street full of people. No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack.

Ramadan death toll stands at 306.

Ramadan Death Count: Libya: 23/05/18

(Ajdabiya) A suicide bomber has targeted fighters loyal to Libyan militia leader Khalifa Haftar, killing two people. The attack took place in the eastern city of Ajdabiya, and it follows a wave of attacks from Islamic State group-linked militants against Haftar's self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA).

Ramadan death toll stands at 144.

Italy: Failed refugees sue Rome for supporting Libya’s coastguard which stopped them travelling to Europe.

(Rome) Nigerian migrants who failed to cross from Africa to Italy last year have filed a lawsuit against Italy for violating their rights by supporting Libya’s efforts to stop them sailing across to Europe. It appears the numerous NGOs who precipitated the huge exodus by hundreds of thousands of migrants to take to the sea in overcrowded rafts and boats so they could they could be picked up a few miles off the Libyan coast and taken to Europe in which to start a new life aren’t happy at how Italy has supported the Libyan coastguard (LCG) by supplying boats and advice in which to stem that tide .

The newly invigorated Libyan coast guard have cut the number of people trying to get to Europe by sea by more than 80 percent this past year seeing only 6,700 attempting to cross. Over the same period, the Libyan Coast Guard intercepted almost 6,000 migrants and refugees. In 2017, the Libyans turned back almost 19,000. One of the methods used by the LCG has been to ban so called private rescue ship from Libyan waters. The NGOs claim they are putting lives at risk, in reply the LCG says, they have saved lives by removing the draw of a taxis service parked a few miles off shore which has attracted hundreds of thousands to make the journey.

Migrants being rescued by German NGO ship “Juventa” 

So in order to open up the flood gates to Europe again, a so called Human right action group ‘Global Legal Action Network,’ has decided to support 7 failed Nigerian Migrants who were intercepted by the LCG, returned to shore and then back to Nigeria. They are claiming Italy has acted illegally by:

“Using the Libyan Coast Guard as a proxy to turn back migrant boats is just a new way of camouflaging (Italy’s) strategy of fighting irregular migration in the Mediterranean by trapping them in what the Italian Foreign Ministry itself has qualified as ‘the hell’ of Libya,”

In other words they feel their human rights have been broached by how they were caught trying to get into Europe illegally by Libyans in Libyan territory and then returned back to their home countries by the UN. (Usually by air with $200 dollars spending money in their pocket)

If they win their case at the European Court of Human Rights, they are set to win millions in damages, see any support the EU gives to Libya in which to stop virtually millions of Economic migrants from the third world travelling to Europe stopped and risk thousands of drowning at sea as the floodgates are opened once again.

Just what is it about human rights groups and their penchant for promoting misery for all.

Libya: Suicide attack on electoral commission kills 14

(Tripoli) At least 14 people were killed and seven wounded when terrorists stormed the headquarters of Libya's electoral commission in downtown Tripoli, spraying office workers with gunfire before two of the attackers blew themselves up on Wednesday.

The attack appears designed to set back and derail plans for Libya to hold elections and end its protracted civil war  and transpired just two days after the Libya Quartet, a gathering of the League of Arab States, Africa Union, European Union and United Nations envoys met in Cairo to declare Libya was ready for elections. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack.

Libyan police check the damage at the Libyan electoral commission headquarters after the attack.

Funny how those who claim to have the support of the people are more than happy to kill in which to deny them to vote who they actually want to run the country.

Libya: US Airstrike kills high-ranking al Qaeda commander

(Ubari)  US Africa Command have revealed this evening that they took out Musa Abu Dawud, a high-ranking commander for al-Qa’ida 5 days ago.

The strike which took place on the 24th March which was in conjunction with the Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA), near the town of  Ubari, Libya, on March 24, killed two al-Qa’ida terrorists, including Musa Abu Dawud, a high ranking al-Qa’ida in the Lands of the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) official.

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U.S. confirms strike against al-Qa’ida’s Musa Abu Dawud - https://t.co/D336RSP13S pic.twitter.com/S4VrGlyaks

— US AFRICOM (@USAfricaCommand) March 28, 2018

Dawud trained AQIM recruits in Libya for attack operations in the region. He provided critical logistics support, funding and weapons to AQIM, enabling the terrorist group to threaten and attack U.S. and Western interests in the region.