In the west front, Libyan Army forces under the command of the Government of National Accord (GNA) have retaken full control of Surman, Sabratha, Al-Ajilat, Al-Jamail, Ragdaline, Al-Essa and Zeltin on the coastline of the western region in a lightning attack against Khalifa Haftar’s forces.
In Tarhouna, the Libyan Army forces under the command of the Government of National Accord (GNA) resumed on April 19 military operations – second stage – that aim to retake Tarhouna city from Khalifa Haftar’s forces.
In Tripoli, the Military Information Division of the Libyan National Army (LNA) announced that LNA targeted a Turkish drone and shot it down south Tripoli.
On the international level, Ismail Sharqi, the African Union’s Commissioner for Peace and Security, said that the continued fighting in Libya should represent a call for the international community to wake up and intervene to enforce the arms embargo and to confront those who violate the embargo or continue to interfere in Libya’s internal affairs.
ABU GREIN
- the spokesman for the Libyan Army Mohammed Gununu said on April 19 that air defenses had shot down a Wing Loong drone as it was striking civilian targets in the vicinity of Abu Grein town. Gununu added that the drone was provided by the UAE to Haftar’s forces, saying it was loaded with missiles but it was luckily shot down before returning to where it took off from [Libya Observer, 19.04.2020].
AL-AJILAT – AL-ESSA – RAGDALINE – SABRATHA – SURMAN – ZELTIN
- Libyan Army forces under the command of the Government of National Accord (GNA) have retaken full control of Surman, Sabratha, Al-Ajilat, Al-Jamail, Ragdaline, Al-Essa and Zeltin on the coastline of the western region in a lightning attack against Khalifa Haftar’s forces. Surman and Sabratha’s recapture is very vital for GNA as they have been a major location for Haftar’s operations room to plan an attack on Al-Zawiya and Zuwara cities – an attack that has been under consideration and planning for a year. GNA forces launched on April 13 morning an attack to recapture Surman after late Sunday airstrikes by GNA’s Air Force, which hit positions for Haftar’s forces in Surman and Sabratha, including operations rooms [Libya Observer, 13.04.2020].
AL-WATIYA
- social media activists circulated reports of a “valuable catch” at the Haftar-controlled Al-Watiya air base in eastern Libya. The activists stated that a group of French and Emirati advisers were trapped at the air base, after the attack carried out by the forces of the Government of National Accord (GNA) last April 13, following which they took control of the entire West Coast cities, serving as the base’s strategic depth on the Mediterranean coast [Marsad, 17.04.2020];
- Libyan Air Force of the Government of National Accord (GNA) targeted on April 13 night a convoy for Khalifa Haftar’s forces near Al-Joush town as they were trying to withdraw from Al-Watiya airbase southward and a gathering for Haftar’s forces inside the airbase, leaving several fighters killed. The Libyan Army forces are now laying a siege to the airbase of Al-Watiya from different directions as Air Force warplanes cover the area to prevent reinforcements from reaching Haftar’s forces inside as local social figures exert efforts to secure a way out for Haftar’s forces and surrender the base to GNA forces [Libya Observer, 14.04.2020].
BANI WALID – TARHOUNA
- the Libyan National Army has shot down two Turkish drones in Dynar and Tininai valleys, which were trying to bomb ambulances and aid vehicles in Bani Walid town, according to Libyan military and local sources. The drones were also targeting an army site near Tarhouna city, which is considered the first major army base in LNA’s campaign to liberate Tripoli [Address Libya, 19.04.2020].
JADU
- UAE drones supporting Haftar’s forces had carried out airstrikes on forces loyal to GNA in the Western Mountain city of Jadu, killing eight and injuring 15 persons, sources from the city said [Libya Observer, 14.04.2020].
NASMAH
- the Libyan National Army air defenses managed to shoot down a Turkish drone supporting Islamist militias of Tripoli-based Government of National Accord. Well-informed sources from the army told The Libyan Address Journal that the drone that was conducting operations in the no-fly zone imposed by the army is Bayraktar TB2 UAV operated by the Turkish army in support of GNA. It was downed near Nasmah, about 80 km southwest of Bani Walid [Address Libya, 18.04.2020].
SABRATHA – SURMAN
- gunmen from Al-Zawiya city released a number of human traffickers and members of terrorist organizations detained in Surman west of Tripoli, source in Surman confirmed. The same source explained that Al-Zawiya militants were led by Mahmoud Bin Rajab, Al-Far and Al-Wahshi, after the forces of the Tripoli-based Government of Fayez al-Sarraj (GNA) took over the city with Turkish air and sea support [Address Libya, 13.04.2020];
- forces aligned to the internationally recognized government of Libya based in Tripoli announced the capture of the western cities of Sabratha and Surman on April 13. The two cities lie about 80 and 70 km west of the capital Tripoli and about 100 km from the Tunisian border to their west. At the time of publication they claimed they were combing surrounding cities and towns. These regions are traditional allies of Haftar [Libya Herald, 13.04.2020].
TARHOUNA
- the Libyan Army forces under the command of the Government of National Accord (GNA) resumed on April 19 military operations – second stage – that aim to retake Tarhouna city from Khalifa Haftar’s forces, according to reliable sources. The spokesman for the Libyan Army forces under the command of GNA, Mohammed Gununu, reaffirmed that military operations resumed to retake Tarhouna, adding that Air Force warplanes carried out two airstrikes on locations and military vehicles for Haftar’s forces in Al-Masahba area in Tarhouna [Libya Observer, 19.04.2020];
- the Libyan Army forces under the command of the Government of National Accord (GNA) launched on April 18 an all-out offensive on Tarhouna city, which is Khalifa Haftar forces’ main foothold in west Libya. GNA forces said they had seized and destroyed a number of military vehicles and captured several fighters from Haftar’s forces as they made massive advances toward Tarhouna [Libya Observer, 18.04.2020].
TRIPOLI
- at least ten people were injured including four children when Haftar’s forces pounded Arada neighborhood on April 18, the Volcano of Rage Operation has said. The bombing was intense and severe damage was caused to citizens’ homes and property. Souq al-Jumaa area and neighborhoods near Mitiga Airport were also targeted by scores of Grad rockets on April 18. The Volcano of Rage Operation said that these attacks are an act of revenge for the “militia’s defeat” on April 17 [Libya Observer, 19.04.2020];
- after being ousted from a string of towns west of Tripoli Haftar’s forces turned their rage on civilians in the capital. The rocket attacks on April 17 caused at least 23 casualties between those dead and wounded. According to the Ambulance and Emergency Service, one person was killed and 11 others were injured, as two shells hit a house on April 17 morning. The house was located in the Karimiya area, one of the backbones of wholesale trade in Libya [Libya Observer, 18.04.2020];
- the Military Information Division of the Libyan National Army (LNA) announced that LNA targeted a Turkish drone and shot it down south Tripoli. The Military Information Division stated that LNA air defenses targeted a Turkish drone that took off from Mitiga military base, and shot it down south Tripoli [Address Libya, 18.04.2020];
- renewed rocket attacks on Tripoli’s civilian neighborhoods by Khalifa Haftar’s forces have killed three civilians and injured several others. The Libyan Health Ministry said on April 16 that a child named Rawad al-Rabiyi was killed and his sister was injured along with two other children in Haftar’s shelling on Treeq al-Soor in Tripoli [Libya Observer, 16.04.2020];
- Haftar “militia” stationed on the southern outskirts of Tripoli fired on April 13 night a barrage of Grad missiles towards populated areas and Mitiga Airport. Eyewitnesses did not report any casualties but confirmed that great damage was caused to the people’s property. The attack comes as an act of revenge by Haftar in response to his defeat in the battles that took place on April 13 at the hands of the Libyan army forces, who forced his forces out of several cities in the western region [Libya Observer, 14.04.2020].
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
- Ismail Sharqi, the African Union’s Commissioner for Peace and Security, said that the continued fighting in Libya should represent a call for the international community to wake up and intervene to enforce the arms embargo and to confront those who violate the embargo or continue to interfere in Libya’s internal affairs [Address Libya, 18.04.2020];
- Tunisian President, Kais Saied has affirmed his country’s full support for the Government of National Accord (GNA) as the only legitimate authority in Libya. President Saied reiterated in a telephone conversation with Prime Minister Al-Sarraj on April 15, Tunisia’s confidence in the ability of the GNA of asserting its control over the entire Libyan territory, stressing their rejection of any external interference [Libya Observer, 16.04.2020];
- the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Libyan Interim Government, Abd al-Hadi al-Hawij, discussed with his Algerian Foreign Minister Sabri Boukadoum, “the precautionary measures taken by Libya and Algeria to confront the novel Coronavirus and ways to enhance the exchange of experiences between the countries.” According to a statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the interim Libyan government, the Algerian Minister expressed his “concern over the violations that occurred in the western cities, especially the cities of Surman and Sabratha,” calling for “the necessity of finding a fundamental solution to the Libyan crisis from the Libyans themselves.” [Address Libya, 16.04.2020];
- the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) said on April 15 that it was alarmed by the continuing escalation of violence in Libya, particularly by the intensification of fighting in the past few days, resulting in civilian casualties and risking new waves of displacement [Libya Herald, 16.04.2020];
- Malta has appealed to the European Union to immediately launch a humanitarian mission to Libya to avoid a “double disaster” brought on by the Libyan migration crisis in combination with the COVID-19 pandemic. The Maltese Foreign Minister Evarist Bartolo, in a video address on Facebook on April 13 evening, said Maltese government was urging the EU to provide at least 100 million euros in food, aid, medicine and medical equipment to Libya [Libya Observer, 15.04.2020];
- the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, renewed his call on April 13, for the necessity to put an end to the fighting, and find lasting solutions to the conflict in Libya. He also noted the importance of assisting Tripoli in its fight against the Coronavirus pandemic [Libya Observer, 14.04.2020].
