Sirte Protection Force has confirmed that three of its members were injured in an air raid carried out by a drone strike of Khalifa Haftar’s forces.
In Tripoli, the Libyan National Army (LNA) on November 8 launched new strikes on armed groups allied with the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) in different areas.
The spokesman for the Libyan Army under the command of the Presidential Council’s government, Mohammed Gununu, said their forces “Volcano of Rage Operation” launched attacks on Khalifa Haftar’s forces on Khallit al-Furjan and Nahr Road frontlines, causing them heavy losses.
On the international level, the German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said his country and the United States see eye to eye regarding the Berlin conference on Libya.
A senior Russian Foreign Ministry official has denied allegations about his country’s military presence in Libya. “I categorically reject speculation of this kind,” the state-run TASS news agency quoted Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov as saying on November 7.
SIRTE
- Sirte Protection Force has confirmed that three of its members were injured in an air raid carried out by a drone strike of Khalifa Haftar’s forces on positions of the force south of Sirte. The force pointed out that the shelling came two days after the capture of an illegal immigration smuggling gang, attempting to smuggle 14 people of Egyptian nationality coming from Bayda city in east Libya [Libya Observer, 06.11.2019].
TRIPOLI
- the Libyan National Army (LNA) on November 8 launched new strikes on armed groups allied with the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) in different areas. The Media Center of Al Karama Operations Room of LNA said LNA launched intensive air strikes on a number of GNA forces positions in Zattarneh, Ghout al-Rumman, Tajoura and Al-Sawani in Tripoli environs. LNA air force bombed on November 7 a weapons and ammunition depot in the Karimiya area in the outskirts of Tripoli, where a video taken by eyewitnesses showed black smoke rising with explosions as a result of targeting the depot next to the Investment Market. LNA continues to launch air and ground strikes on GNA forces positions, used as ammunition, weapons and machinery depots [Address Libya, 08.11.2019];
- the Libyan Interior Ministry said two of its police personnel were killed after airstrikes by Khalifa Haftar’s forces hit Rapid Intervention Force of Central Backup Force headquarters in Ain Zara in southern Tripoli. The Interior Ministry said in a statement on Facebook that “this was the second criminal attack on Interior Ministry’s apparatuses after the first hit the main headquarters in Tripoli few days ago”, vowing to bring the perpetrators to justice [Libya Observer, 06.11.2019];
- the spokesman for the Libyan Army under the command of the Presidential Council’s government, Mohammed Gununu, said their forces “Volcano of Rage Operation” launched attacks on Khalifa Haftar’s forces on Khallit al-Furjan and Nahr Road frontlines, causing them heavy losses. Gununu added on November 4 in a press briefing in Tripoli that the Libyan Army forces advanced on Nahr crossroad and Athem Buildings on Khallit al-Furjan frontline in southern Tripoli. He added that they arrested three fighters from Haftar’s forces and seized one military vehicle as Anti-Terrorism Force targeted Haftar’s positions on Wadi Rabea frontline. Heavy clashes erupted on November 4 on different frontlines in southern Tripoli as Haftar’s forces launched indiscriminate shells on residential areas causing casualties among civilians [Libya Observer, 04.11.2019];
- indiscriminate shelling by Khalifa Haftar’s forces on Salah al-Deen neighborhood in southern Tripoli injured a child and several civilians and shut down an elementary school, eyewitnesses said, adding that the shells fell on a house and nearby the school. The eyewitnesses said the shells came from close fighting zones and hit Jahider family’s house, injuring one child mildly, while other shells fell near Rajab al-Naeb elementary school when pupils were inside, shattering windows and forcing the administration to send the children back home [Libya Observer,11.2019].
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
- the German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said his country and the United States see eye to eye regarding the Berlin conference on Libya. In a joint press conference with his Italian counterpart, Maas said on November 9 that the US is highly interested in Berlin conference. Maas added that the two countries want to end the destabilizing conflict in Libya as the military solution cannot work in the country. The Italian Foreign Minister Luigi di Maio also expressed his country’s concern over the ongoing fighting in Libya, saying Italy supports Berlin conference and that it calls for a ceasefire in the country [Libya Observer, 10.11.2019];
- terrorism risk can grow more as the conflict in the Libyan capital continues, Italy’s Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio warned. Speaking at a joint press conference with his German counterpart Heiko Maas on November 9, Di Maio stressed upon the need to resolve the Libyan conflict while also recognizing the negative impact of foreign interference [Address Libya, 10.11.2019];
- the U.S. Deputy Chief of Mission to Libya, Joshua Harris, reiterated his country’s support for an immediate end to the fighting and the re-establishment of the UN political process that would provide a safe and prosperous future for all Libyans. This was when he joined a round table organized by the American Bar Association with the support of the US Agency for International Development, according to U.S. Embassy in Libya [Address Libya, 09.11.2019];
- a senior Russian Foreign Ministry official has denied allegations about his country’s military presence in Libya. “I categorically reject speculation of this kind,” the state-run TASS news agency quoted Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov as saying on November 7. “We don’t believe there are grounds to make assertions and speculations like this.” This comes following a New York Times report claiming that about 200 Russian mercenaries have arrived in Libya in the past month and a half. “This isn’t the first time that American media spread all sorts of tall tales, malicious rumors and fabrications,” said Ryabkov, in reference to previous media reports of such sort. “We’re acting in the interest of Libyan [conflict] settlement. We support the appropriate efforts [to achieve this], including through the UN. We’re in dialogue with those who in one way or another influence the situation,” he added [Address Libya, 07.11.2019];
- the Ambassador of the United States Richard Norland has expressed concern over the increasing involvement of foreign states and mercenaries in the Libyan conflict. This came during a meeting between Norland with Libya’s Interior Minister, Fathi Bashagha, on November 6 to discuss the ongoing efforts to end the conflict in Tripoli [Libya Observer, 07.11.2019];
- Kuwait has urged anew all Libyan parties to exercise self-restraint, respect international humanitarian law and avoid targeting civilians and facilities. The call was made by Kuwait’s Permanent Representative at the UN Mansour al-Otaibi during a UN Security Council briefing on the International Criminal Court on the situation in Libya. He reiterated support to the court’s efforts to ensure justice and put an end to impunity as per the international law [Address Libya, 07.11.2019];
- the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim Al-Thani reiterated his country’s support for the Government of National Accord (GNA), stressing the need to achieve stability and peace in Libya. He added that the support of some countries to lawless parties is hindering the settlement efforts in Libya. This came in his statement at the opening of the 48th session of the Qatari Shura Council in Doha, on November 5 [Libya Observer, 06.11.2019].
