In Benghazi, several citizens have organized a demonstration, denouncing the statements made by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan about his intention to send troops to Libya.
In Derna, a number of citizens have organized a protest after Friday prayers in front of the Companions Mosque in the city, to denounce the Turkish intervention in Libya.
In Tripoli, the Military Information Division of the Libyan National Army (LNA) released footage on December 15 showing LNA forces targeting a building, which the militants of the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) uses to store its military vehicles. The building is Naqlia military camp, located in south of Tripoli, was attacked by LNA’s 73rd Infantry Division.
On the international level, the European Parliament expressed its deep concern on December 13, on the ongoing attacks of Haftar’s militants on the south of Tripoli.
The Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has warned against the continuation of foreign funding received by militias in Libya.
BENGHAZI
- several citizens have organized a demonstration in the center of Benghazi, denouncing the statements made by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan about his intention to send troops to Libya in the event that the Fayez al-Sarraj government requested that. The demonstrators, who were mostly students, chanted slogans rejecting Turkish interference in Libyan affairs, and raised banners denouncing Erdogan’s statements. Erdogan’s comments sparked popular and official anger in several Libyan cities, as they considered it an explicit threat to invade the country [Address Libya, 12.12.2019].
DERNA
- a number of citizens from Derna city have organized a protest after Friday prayers in front of the Companions Mosque in the city, to denounce the Turkish intervention in Libya, after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced his intention to send troops to Libya in the event that the Government of National Accord demands. The demonstrators raised signs condemning and denouncing the statements of Erdogan, while others raised signs in support for the Libyan National Army in the fighting in Tripoli. The demonstrators also burned pictures of the Turkish president during the demonstration. Derna had been under the grip of ISIS and extremist groups since 2011 and was controlled in mid-2018 by the Libyan National Army, which launched a military operation that resulted in the expulsion of extremist groups from the city [Address Libya, 14.12.2019].
TRIPOLI
- the Military Information Division of the Libyan National Army (LNA) released footage on December 15 showing LNA forces targeting a building, which the militants of the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) uses to store its military vehicles. The building is Naqlia military camp, located in south of Tripoli, was attacked by LNA’s 73rd Infantry Division. According to LNA’s Military Information Division, the attack resulted in the killing of several GNA militants and caused the Tripoli-based government to endure heavy logistical losses [Address Libya, 15.12.2019];
- after Khalifa Haftar told his forces on the outskirts of Tripoli that their Zero Hour for attacking the capital and entering its neighborhoods had come, they led a heavy attack on different frontlines in southern Tripoli but were faced by even heavier repelling force by Volcano of Rage Operation forces and armed brigades under the command of the Libyan Presidential Council. The most ferocious clashes took place in Al-Tughar district in southern Tripoli, where violent fighting between the two sides continued for hours on December 13, yet in the end, Volcano of Rage Operation forces seized full control of the district, destroying 4 UAE-made military vehicles for Haftar’s forces [Libyan Express, 14.12.2019];
- eleven gunmen of the militias allied with the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) surrendered to the Libyan National Army (LNA) forces at Salah al-Din axis in Tripoli, after they contacted with LNA forces, which guaranteed their safety, said LNA Military Information Division. LNA military units extended their control over the headquarters of the Police Officers College in Salah al-Din, the Division announced [Address Libya, 13.12.2019].
ZAWIYA
- an explosion rocked Zawiya late on December 9, security sources from the city reported. The blast occurred in Al-Qardabiya Street, near the HQ of the “Back-up Force” where Amer al-Qajem, a senior leader of Haftar’s militias, is being held. The sources explained that the explosives were planted in a car, confirming that no human casualties were reported. Pro-Haftar social media platforms circulated the news of the explosion as soon as it occurred. The platforms confirmed that a sleeper cell belonging to Haftar was behind the operation, vowing that other operations are to come in response to the arrest of Al-Qajem who was captured by the Libyan army after his plane was shot down south of the city [Libya Observer, 10.12.2019].
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
- the European Parliament expressed its deep concern on December 13, on the ongoing attacks of Haftar’s militants on the south of Tripoli. In a statement posted on its website, the parliament said that Haftar’s recent threats regarding launching a widespread attack on Tripoli are a source of grave concern [Libya Observer, 14.12.2019];
- Italian Prime Minister, Giuseppe Conte has stressed the need for full European consensus to channel the conflict in Libya towards a political solution. This came during his meeting with German Chancellor, Angela Merkel and French President, Emmanuel Macron, on the sidelines of the European summit in Brussels, where they discussed the situation in Libya [Libya Observer, 14.12.2019];
- the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has warned against the continuation of foreign funding received by militias in Libya. In an official statement on December 14, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry has warned of the consequences of foreign financing that reaches militias inside Libya, stressing that “this threatens the national security of Egypt and Libya’s neighboring countries in general.” [Address Libya, 14.12.2019];
- the European Union is not recognizing the recently reached Turkish-Libyan memorandum on maritime boundaries, believing that the document is void and infringes on international law, the statement adopted at the European Council meeting said [Marsad, 13.12.2019];
- Tunisian President, Kais Saied has emphasized his country’s support for the democratic path in Libya, stressing to assist the Libyan people by all means available [Libya Observer, 11.12.2019];
- Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi said that the speedy end of the Libyan crisis contributes to the stability of the region, pointing out that achieving and sustaining peace will only be achieved by strengthening the ability of countries to extend their sovereignty over all of their soil without the intervention of countries supporting terrorism [Address Libya, 11.12.2019];
- the envoy of the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Emrullah Işler said Turkish soldiers will be ready to stand by democracy and people’s will in Libya against those who want to set up a military dictatorship. Işler said on December 10 that the MoUs with Libya have persevered the rights of both countries as per the international law, adding that his and the Libyan governments had taken measures that changed the rules of the game and made the countries trying to illicitly control the Mediterranean very worried [Libya Observer, 10.12.2019].
