On July 9 the Sirte-Jufra Protection and Security Operations Room of the Government of National Accord (GNA) has declared the areas of Abu Grein, Al-Wishka and Buwairat Hasson as a military zone.
The Turkish army’s Chief of the General Staff, Yaşar Güler, was killed during an attack on Al-Watiya base.
Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA) forces have dismantled an ISIS cell in Al-Zawiya city, west of the capital Tripoli.
A number of militants were killed during an intra-fighting on July 9 between militias backed by the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) in the north-western city of Janzour.
On the international level, the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on July 8 that Khalifa Haftar “is ready to sign a ceasefire agreement in Libya, while the Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, accused France of supporting Haftar and providing a variety of military support to him.
ABU GREIN – BUWAIRAT HASSON
- on July 9 the Sirte-Jufra Protection and Security Operations Room of the Government of National Accord (GNA) has declared the areas of Abu Grein, Al-Wishka and Buwairat Hasson as a military zone, saying in a statement that movements aren’t allowed in the zone. The announcement comes amid mobilization of Libyan Army forces under GNA in western Sirte ahead of the kick-start of a military operation to liberate Sirte and Jufra from Haftar’s forces and foreign mercenaries, who are the shot callers in the area where Haftar’s forces are positioned.
AL-WATIYA
- the Turkish army’s Chief of the General Staff, Yaşar Güler, was killed during an attack on Al-Watiya base earlier this week which targeted Turkish Hawk air defense systems, General Brigadier Khaled al-Mahjoub of the Libyan National Army (LNA) said on July 9. This comes after many conflicting reports surfaced regarding Güler’s presumed death following the Sunday attack on Al-Watiya base.
AL-ZAWIYA
- Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA) forces have dismantled an ISIS cell in Al-Zawiya city, west of the capital Tripoli, according to the Interior Ministry on July 6. The Interior Ministry’s statement said the cell was planning “to carry out terrorist attacks and plots to harm security and stability as well as to spread chaos in the country,” adding that the Criminal Investigation Department of Al-Zawiya Security Directorate had carried out the operation.
BRAK AL-SHATI
- the Libyan National Army has targeted seven military vehicles belonging to a pro-Turkey Libyan militia, near the strategic city of Brak al-Shati, in southern Libya, a military source said on July 7. “The armed vehicles belonging to the militias were stationed in the agricultural Al-Dabwat project, which is 40 km from the city of Brak al-Shati from the west,” the military source, who asked not to be named, added.
HOUN
- a militia group, commonly known as the 128 brigade, belonging to Haftar, launched on July 12 a massive arrest campaign against the people of Houn who participated in protests over the recent days, denouncing the presence of Janjaweed mercenaries inside their city. The arrest campaign coincided with outspoken calls for ‘civil disobedience’ in the areas of Al-Jufra over the presence of militias, who are attempting to impost their rule in the region;
- the spokesman for Libyan Sirte-Jufra Protection and Security Operations Room Abdelhadi Drah said Khalifa Haftar’s forces had shot dead a woman in the head, saying the woman was from Sebha city. Sources from Houn said Haftar’s forces had killed over the last days three young men whose bodies – with marks of torture – were found by locals;
- locals in Houn town located in northern Fezzan region southwest of Libya took to the streets on July 11 for the second consecutive day, to protest against the escalation of killings, kidnappings and torture in the town by Haftar’s forces. The oasis town has experienced tension following the killing of three young men at the hands of Haftar’s forces.
MISRATA
- a well-informed source stated that the Misratan militant Ali Bayou, aka “Mugo”, was assassinated after he came under fire, which resulted in a bullet being struck in his heart. The source pointed out that after Mugo’s death was announced at the Misrata Emergency Hospital on July 11 evening.
SAWKANAH
- on July 7 Jufra Airbase Commander’s office of the Libyan National Army (LNA) refuted the reports circulated by the media affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood and close to terrorist groups, regarding the airstrikes on Sawknah town in Jufra region. The office stressed that “What circulated through the Libyan pro-Turkish media about an airstrike on Sawknah is absolutely not true,”.
TRIPOLI
- a number of militants were killed during an intra-fighting on July 9 between militias backed by the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) in the north-western city of Janzour, sources tells the Libyan Address Journal. According to our sources, the clashes erupted between the Foursan Janzour militia and a militia led by a person called Mohammed Fakar, who is known as “the Kiki” and is affiliated the militia of infamous Tripoli warlord Ghaniwa al-Kakli. This came following after the killing of Hamid Abu Ja’far, the brother of Foursan Janzour’s commander.
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
- the US embassy in Libya said on July 12 in a statement that it regrets that foreign-backed efforts against Libya’s economic and financial sectors have impeded progress and heightened the risk of confrontation after several days of intense diplomatic activity aimed at allowing the National Oil Corporation (NOC) to resume its vital and apolitical work as a way of defusing military tensions;
- Europe must play a pivotal role in Libya to find peaceful solution in the war-torn country, said Andrea Cozzolino, Italian Member of the European Parliament;
- Algeria is continuing its efforts to preserve the territorial integrity of Libya at a time when Algerian mediation is requested by all the Libyan parties, said Algeria Foreign Minister Sabri Boukadoum on July 12;
- Algerian Foreign Minister Sabri Boukadoum said his country stands at the same distance from the parties to the crisis in Libya, stressing that a comprehensive dialogue is the primary means for finding a solution in Libya;
- Acting Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General in Libya, Stephanie Williams, on July 11 held talks with the President of the Libyan Parliament, Aqila Saleh, in Geneva, on efforts to resolve the Libyan crisis. They stressed the need to stop foreign interference in Libya;
- the British Embassy in Tripoli called on July 11 the Libyan parties to engage in the UN-led dialogue to support a Libyan consensus on an equitable distribution of hydrocarbon revenues and promote transparency;
- the European Union’s Representatives for Foreign Affairs, Joseph Borrell, has stressed that Europe is working to start “a real political process” in Libya;
- the French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said Paris provided Khalifa Haftar political support but not military one, adding that his country is giving Haftar’s forces political consultations, according to Le Figaro;
- the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on July 8 that Khalifa Haftar “is ready to sign a ceasefire agreement in Libya, accusing the Government of National Accord (GNA) of “lacking desire to sign it too”;
- Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said that the transfer of terrorists to Libya poses a threat to Egypt and the Eastern Mediterranean region, stressing that his country “will not tolerate any threat”;
- the Moroccan Foreign Minister, Nasser Bourita, has expressed concern and disappointment over the continuing deterioration of the situation in Libya. Speaking during a ministers-level UN Security Council video conference on July 8, Bourita stressed the international consensus on Libya must be translated into strong and concrete actions;
- Germany’s Foreign Minister Heiko Maas has threatened on July 8 to use targeted sanctions to make sure that Libya is “no longer the battleground in a foreign war;
- the Secretary-General of the Arab League, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, has stressed upon the League’s firm and clear position in rejecting and condemning all forms of foreign military intervention in the Libyan crisis;
- Italian Foreign Minister, Luigi Di Maio, underscored the urgency to name a new UN Special Representative for Libya during July 8 virtual session of the UN Security Council on Libya;
- Niger’s Foreign Minister, Kalla Ankourao, affirmed that peace and stability in Libya are a fundamental interest of neighboring countries as well, stressing the need to achieve this with the efforts of the Security Council, the European Union, the African Union and the Arab League;
- the Acting Special Representative of the Secretary-General (ASRSG) for Libya and Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) Stephanie Williams has blamed Khalifa Haftar’s forces for the killing of over 138 people in mine explosions in areas they fled in southern Tripoli since last May;
- the Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, accused France of supporting Haftar and providing a variety of military support to him. Cavusoglu stated in a joint press conference with the European Union (EU) Foreign Policy Official, Josep Borrell, in Ankara on July 6, that France began attacking Turkey after Haftar lost major strategic ground in Libya, partly due to Turkey’s support of forces aligned with the Government of National Accord (GNA);
- the United Nations expressed its concern on July 6 regarding the airstrike by unidentified aircraft on Al-Watiya Air Base, late on July 4 night. The Spokesman for the Secretary-General, Stephane Dujarric, at a press conference, called on all sides to abide by Security Council resolutions regarding Libya and the outputs of the Berlin conference;
- Russia is in contact with all countries that can make an impact on the Libya settlement, including the United States, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin said on July 6.
