On April 7th, Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar’s Libyan National Army (LNA) posted a video from inside Tripoli International Airport.
The Libyan National Army Air Force also joined on the offensive on Tripoli.
The LNA said it had launched airstrikes targeting UN-backed forces in southern Tripoli.
The UN-backed government said 21 people have been killed and 27 injured in fighting around the capital.
Ahmed al-Mesmari, a spokesman for Haftar’s forces, said on Saturday that 14 troops were killed.
In total, according to various reports upwards of 35 people have been killed on both sides since Haftar launched the offensive on April 3rd.
The Libyan Government of National Accord’s (LNGA) Prime minister Fayez al-Serraj accused Haftar of planning a coup. Government troops were reported to be moving towards the LNA lines to counter their advance.
The LNGA army on April 7th announced that it was preparing to mount a counteroffensive against the LNA. Colonel Mohamed Gnounou told reporters in Tripoli that the counteroffensive, dubbed “Volcano of Anger”, was aimed at “purging all Libyan cities of aggressor and illegitimate forces.”
the UN mission in Libya (UNSMIL) made an “urgent appeal” for a two-hour truce in the southern suburbs to evacuate the wounded and civilians caught in the fighting.
“[UNSMIL calls on] all armed parties in the Wadi Rabi area, Al-Kayekh, Gasr Ben Ghachir and Al-Aziziya to respect a humanitarian truce [between 14:00 and 16:00 GMT] to secure the evacuation of wounded and civilians by rescue teams and the Libyan Red Crescent.”
Pro-NATO experts apeared skeptical of the capability of Haftar’s forces.
“I mean I don’t see any lack of intent (from Haftar’s troops),” said Kamran Bokhari, director of the Center for Global Policy. “I’m more concerned about capability, and that’s where I’m not sure whether his (Haftar’s) forces are up to the task. I mean he was able to take over much of the southwest, I mean easily. Tripoli, he’s going to face a lot of resistance. So we’re looking at a long, protracted conflict.”
The US on its part called for peace and for the parties to stand down.
US Deputy Sec. of State Sullivan on #Libya: “We are urging that the parties stand down. An incursion into Tripoli would be an exceedingly bad and dangerous move.”https://t.co/7jeZsFMn4D
— U.S. Embassy – Libya (@USAEmbassyLibya) April 6, 2019
Other footage on social media appeared to show an American vessel leaving a site near Tripoli. The US said the move was due to security conditions on the ground. A small contingent of American troops has been in Libya to help combat Islamic militant groups.
البعثة الامريكية بمدينة النخيل / جنزور تغادر #طرابلس عبر فرقاطة امريكية في بداية الصباح الباكر. pic.twitter.com/JzSulwRCe4
— Abdulrahman Ghummied (@AGhummied) April 7, 2019
#حصري لحظة مغادرة الامريكان من ليبيا بالم سيتي جنزور اليوم بتاريخ 7-4-2019 معناها طرابلس مقبلة علي حرب ضروس اللهم استر اهلنا الأبرياء في ام السرايا #طرابلس #الادمن01
Posted by الرجبان الان on Saturday, April 6, 2019
Marine Corps Gen. Thomas Waldhauser, head of US Africa Command confirmed the pull out.
“The security realities on the ground in Libya are growing increasingly complex and unpredictable. Even with an adjustment of the force, we will continue to remain agile in support of existing US strategy.”
Col. Chris Karns, spokesman for Africa Command, reiterated that the movement of troops would not impact the force’s ability to respond to threats and targets.
“For security reasons, I won’t pinpoint where these forces will flow,” said Karns. “It is important (that) groups, such as ISIS, don’t have an exact map of our whereabouts, but instead we use our finite resources on the continent to adjust swiftly, efficiently, and employ with maximum effect.”
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo issued a statement calling on Haftar to stop the offensive.
“We have made clear that we oppose the military offensive by Khalifa Haftar’s forces and urge the immediate halt to these military operations against the Libyan capital.”
Separately, the UN mission in Libya (UNSMIL) made an “urgent appeal” for a two-hour truce in the southern suburbs to evacuate the wounded and civilians caught in the fighting.
“[UNSMIL calls on] all armed parties in the Wadi Rabi area, Al-Kayekh, Gasr Ben Ghachir and Al-Aziziya to respect a humanitarian truce [between 14:00 and 16:00 GMT] to secure the evacuation of wounded and civilians by rescue teams and the Libyan Red Crescent.”
On April 8th, AFP reported that Russia had blocked a UN Security Council statement that would have called on forces loyal to Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar to halt their advance on Tripoli.
Anonymous diplomats said that after a closed-door meeting on April 5th, the council called on Haftar’s self-proclaimed Libyan National Army to “halt its military activity” in an agreed statement to the press. Moscow, however, allegedly blocked it.
The draft also would have “called for those who undermine Libya’s peace and security to be held to account” and renewed support for a national conference to be held this month on holding elections.
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