In Abugrein, the Libyan Army under the command of the Government of National Accord (GNA) has regained full control of Abugrein town after a failed advance attempt and attacks by Khalifa Haftar’s forces.
In Benghazi, three new cases of Coronavirus pandemic were registered on April 9, bringing the number of officially registered cases in the city to 4.
In Tajoura, the Media Center of LNA Al-Karama Operations Room announced that LNA forces targeted a gathering of GNA militias in Al-Rahba camp.
Tripoli Port was hit by Grad rockets fired by Haftar’s militia on April 9. Shells fell on the grounds of the port and started a fire in several administrative buildings before firefighters were able to get the blaze under control.
On the international level, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has begun searching for a new envoy to Libya, diplomatic sources told AFP on April 8, after the United States refused to endorse the previous candidate.
ABUGREIN
- the Libyan Army under the command of the Government of National Accord (GNA) has regained full control of Abugrein town after a failed advance attempt and attacks by Khalifa Haftar’s forces, said Army spokesman Muhammad Gununu on April 12 [Libya Observer, 12.04.2020];
- the Libyan National Army (LNA) has taken control of Abugrein’s western gate in southern Misrata, LNA’s spokesman General Brigadier Ahmed al-Mismari confirmed on April 12. In a brief statement released via Facebook, Al-Mismari also said that “the army found large quantities of weapons, ammunition and military equipment in the Abugrein area, after the armed militias fled” [Address Libya, 12.04.2020];
- the Libyan National Army (LNA) air force fighters destroyed on April 9 military vehicles belonging to the militias allied with the Tripoli-based Government of Fayez al-Sarraj (GNA) in Abugrein town south-east Misrata. LNA Military Information Division said, “LNA fighter jets launched strikes targeting a number of military vehicles belonging to GNA militias and destroyed them in the Abugrein” [Address Libya, 10.04.2020];
- the Libyan National Army (LNA) launched night air strikes on the locations of the militias allied with the Tripoli-based Government of Fayez al-Sarraj (GNA) in Abugrein south-east Misrata, which resulted in a number of deaths, announced LNA Al-Karama Operations Room [Address Libya, 07.04.2020];
- the Libyan National Army spokesperson, Ahmed al-Mismari, announced that the LNA has targeted several armed vehicles and sites affiliated with the Tripoli-based Government of “National Accord” in the Abugrein front, east of Misrata. In a statement, Al-Mismari stated that: “In an implementation of the combat task of the LNA units in the Abugrein axis, our forces have targeted a number of targets chosen from the data bank, which were five armed vehicles, two tents for the militants and observatories, two operations buildings, in addition to other thirteen armed vehicles and an observatory for the enemy forces” [Address Libya, 06.04.2020].
AL-WASHKA
- the forces of the Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA) announced on April 7 that Emirati drones, backing the militias of retired Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, targeted a post office in Al-Washka area in the vicinity of Sirte. Mustafa al–Mujie, spokesman for Operation Volcano of Anger, told Anadolu Agency: “Emirati drones supporting Haftar’s militia raided the area twice. Thus, one of the strikes targeted a post office, causing the suspension of communications there.” Al-Mujie added that the bombing caused material damage, noting that the field situation in Abugrein and Al-Washka areas is cautiously calm” [Marsad, 07.04.2020].
AL-WATIA
- a Turkish drone was shot down on April 8 by the Air Force of the Libya National Army (LNA), a military source tells the Libyan Address Journal. This happened after the Turkish drone attempted to target Al-Watia airbase in western Libya. Ankara has been sending drones, military vehicles and other weapons to the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA), in violation of the UN-imposed arms embargo on Libya [Address Libya, 09.04.2020].
BANI WALID
- a Turkish drone loyal to the forces of the Tripoli-based Government of “National Accord” has targeted a fuel truck in the city of Bani Walid, in western Libya. Local sources told the Libyan Address Journal that the truck was completely burned down while its operator was wounded, as smoke was seen rising from the site. The sources added that the truck was on its way to supply the Bani Walid Gas Station with fuel after an increase in the demand among the residents of the region for fuel and its derivatives [Address Libya, 06.04.2020].
BENGHAZI
- three new cases of Coronavirus pandemic were registered in Benghazi on April 9, bringing the number of officially registered cases in the city to 4. With the registration of these new cases, the number of officially confirmed cases across the country has increased to 24, including one death and 8 recovery cases [Address Libya, 10.04.2020];
- the Spokesman for the Consultative Medical Committee for Combating COVID-19, Ahmed al-Hassi, confirmed on April 7 the registration of the first case of Coronavirus pandemic in Benghazi for a citizen returning from Turkey [Address Libya, 07.04.2020].
SORMAN
- the Media Center of LNA Al-Karama Operations Room announced that LNA forces targeted Mahmiat Sorman, where the militias were preparing for an attack on the cities of Sorman and Sabratha west of Tripoli. The Center said, “The targeting resulted in the destruction of a number of vehicles and the killing of a number of GNA militias.” [Address Libya, 10.04.2020].
TAJOURA
- The Media Center of LNA Al-Karama Operations Room announced that LNA forces targeted a gathering of GNA militias in Al-Rahba camp, in Tajoura east Tripoli [Address Libya, 10.04.2020];
- Haftar’s forces attacked on April 9 Ghout al-Rumman area in Tajoura, killing one foreign worker and injuring others, including Libyans, which was confirmed by Volcano of Rage Operation, which said the killed worker was a Ghanian man; two Libyans got injured [Libya Observer, 09.04.2020];
- the field hospital in Tajoura the eastern suburb of Tripoli has been hit by shells fired by Haftar’s militias, the Ambulance and Emergency Service said in a statement on April 8. Luckily, the attack did not result in any serious casualties among the staff but did cause material damage, according to the statement. Field hospitals have been a key target for Haftar’s militias since the beginning of the offensive against Tripoli in April of last year [Libya Observer, 09.04.2020].
TRIPOLI
- forces loyal to Khalifa Haftar on April 12 attacked medical warehouses belonging to a hospital in the capital, knowing that they were used for treating coronavirus patients. Haftar’s forces targeted depots of the Al-Khadra Hospital in Al-Swani in the capital Tripoli with Grad missiles, the UN-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) said in a statement. The hospital resumed work on April 11 after shutting down for two days due to the rocket attacks by Haftar’s forces [Libyan Express, 12.04.2020];
- Tripoli Port was hit by Grad rockets fired by Haftar’s militia on April 9. Shells fell on the grounds of the port and started a fire in several administrative buildings before firefighters were able to get the blaze under control. Civilian sites in Tripoli have been under fire for several days by Haftar’s militias, resulting in deaths and injuries, in addition to material losses [Libya Observer, 11.04.2020];
- Khalifa Haftar’s forces shelled Al-Khadra Hospital for the third time this week, using Grad rockets that hit many targets, including a medical storage that has stocks of Coronavirus protection equipment, the media office of Volcano of Rage Operation said on April 9 [Libya Observer, 09.04.2020];
- the Libyan National Army (LNA), led by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, claims to have downed a Turkish unmanned aerial vehicle, LNA spokesman Ahmed al-Mismari said on April 8. “LNA air defense forces have downed a Turkish drone over the southeastern part of the capital [Tripoli], the Ain Zara district,” Al-Mismari wrote on his Facebook page [Marsad, 09.04.2020];
- the forces of the National Accord Government have launched an attack on the Libyan National Army units in the Ain Zara axis, but the latter managed to repel the attack, said Ahmed al-Mismari, LNA spokesman [Address Libya,07.04.2020];
- Mustafa al-Mujie, spokesman for Operation Volcano of Anger, said that on April 6 GNA forces made progress on the axes of Ain Zara and Wadi al-Rabi, south of Tripoli, after launching a military operation against Haftar’s forces in the area. GNA spokesman Muhammad Gununu said that “heavy artillery belonging to the heroic GNA forces targeted precisely two warehouses of ammunition owned by Haftar’s terrorist militia in Wadi al-Rabi axis in response to previous attacks that targeted civilian neighbourhoods.” [Marsad, 07.04.2020];
- tens of rockets have rained down on different civilian neighborhoods in Tripoli, including Abu Salim, Al-Hadba and Bab Benghashir, in addition to over 50 rockets falling in the vicinity of Tripoli’s Mitiga Airport and surrounding areas – all have been fired by Khalifa Haftar’s forces – according to eyewitnesses on April 6 [Libya Observer, 06.04.2020].
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
- the United Nations humanitarian coordinator for Libya on April 10 condemned the cutting off of water supply to the capital Tripoli over the past week as “particularly reprehensible” and said it must stop immediately, reported Reuters [Marsad, 12.04.2020];
- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has begun searching for a new envoy to Libya, diplomatic sources told AFP on April 8, after the United States refused to endorse the previous candidate. Former Algerian Foreign Minister, Ramtane Lamamra, was reported to be UN’s candidate to replace Ghassan Salamé, who resigned earlier this year. However, the US increasingly posed “questions” about his candidacy, even though “everyone else” supported him, a diplomat said [Address Libya, 09.08.2020];
- the EU called on April 8 for an ‘‘end’’ to the ‘‘unacceptable’’ bombing of medical facilities after a Tripoli hospital was hit three days in a row. It did not condemn it nor did it attribute it to the Khalifa Haftar forces – as the Libyan government it recognizes, based in Tripoli, has done [Libya Herald, 09.04.2020];
- the European Union Delegation in Libya has called on the Libyans “to unite to confront the Coronavirus pandemic threatening the world.” In a statement on April 7, the EU Delegation said, “Let us unite in Libya against Coronavirus to show the world the desire of all Libyans to achieve peace in Libya and around the world quickly so that humanity can stand up to the COVID-19.” [Address Libya, 07.04.2020];
- the UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Libya Yacoub El Hillo has described the attacks on Al-Khadra Hospital in Tripoli, which were carried out by Khalifa Haftar’s forces, as shocking and a violation of International Humanitarian Law (IHL). El Hillo said he was appalled by the violent and unjustifiable shelling on Al-Khadra Hospital in Tripoli, injuring one of the workers and damaging public facilities [Libya Observer, 07.04.2020].
