In Murzuq, the commander of the South Protection Force, which is loyal to Presidential Council’s Sabha military zone, Hassan Mousa said they had controlled Murzuq in southern Libya and kicked out Khalifa Haftar’s forces after over two weeks of deadly clashes.
In Zuwara, Khalifa Haftar’s warplanes carried out 16 August airstrikes on Zuwara Airport for the second day in a row causing one injury of a national safety worker and material damage to the national safety authority’s building inside the airport.
On the international level, Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu voiced on 17 August his country’s support for a peaceful settlement of the Libyan crisis.
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (UK) Boris Johnson has reaffirmed to the Head of the Presidential Council Fayez Al-Sarraj that there is no military solution in Libya.
MURZUQ
- the commander of the South Protection Force, which is loyal to Presidential Council’s Sabha military zone, Hassan Mousa said they had controlled Murzuq in southern Libya and kicked out Khalifa Haftar’s forces after over two weeks of deadly clashes. On 16 August, Haftar’s general command said its warplanes struck some areas in Murzuq on 17 August and sources from the town confirmed that there were deaths and injuries from both sides due to the strikes. Meanwhile, Al-Ahali source (Arab tribe in Murzuq) said their armed groups left the areas they used to control and they are now seized by Tubu tribespeople [Libya Observer, 18.08.2019];
- reports of ongoing clashes in Murzuq have been confirmed by local sources between Al-Ahali and Tubu tribes. The mass of the armed clashes has centred in Bandalwah and Magariaf neighbourhoods, according to the source, confirming that rocket shells have landed in these areas. The source added that Al-Ahali still refuse to give access to the so-called Khalid Ibn Al-Walid battalion and the joint security room of Murzuq, which are considered partisans of the Tubu tribe. Armed clashes have continued in the city with heavy and medium weapons throughout the Eid days, without regard to the truce called for by the United Nations mission [Libya Observer, 15.08.2019];
- Municipal Council member of Murzuq town, southwest of Libya, Ibrahim Omar said that clashes in the town have been continuing for the third consecutive day of Eid al-Adha in several neighbourhoods and with all kinds of weapons. Omar explained, in a press statement that the clashes are taking place in Al-Magariaf and Al-Qalah neighbourhoods, confirming that no party has made any advance in its positions since the outbreak of the clashes more than a week ago [Libya Herald, 14.08.2019].
ZUWARA
- Khalifa Haftar’s warplanes carried out 16 August airstrikes on Zuwara Airport for the second day in a row causing one injury of a national safety worker and material damage to the national safety authority’s building inside the airport. Meanwhile, a delegation from the UNSMIL visited 17 August morning Zuwara Airport and made sure there was no military presence inside it. The municipality of Zuwara denied also any military presence at the airport and called on the UNSMIL to take measures to secure and protect the civilian facilities and airport workers. Volcano of Rage Operation said that Haftar’s warplanes raided a heavily populated area in Zuwara on 17 August, causing the civilians to panic and damaging several houses [Libya Observer, 17.08.2019];
- Khalifa Haftar’s Air Force fighter jets carried out 15 August an airstrike on Zuwara Airport – 120 km to west of Tripoli – hitting the runway and claiming targeting the airport for its use by Turkish drones. Haftar’s forces claims for Zuwara Airport were denied by Burkan Al-Ghadab Operation, which posted photos showing the shrapnel of Haftar’s Haftar forces’ missiles falling on the runway. Zuwara Airport is being used by the UNSMIL for flying inside and outside Libya and was shut lately by the Transportation Ministry then reopened in a matter of two days [Libya Herald, 15.08.2019].
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
- the Interim Tunisian President, Mohamed Al-Nasir stressed the importance to continue efforts within the framework of the tripartite initiative of the neighbouring countries of Libya, in order to cease hostilities and move forward with the political process. This came during the meeting of the Tunisian President on 17 August with his Foreign Minister, Khemaies Jhinaoui, at Carthage Palace in Tunis. In June, Tunisia organized a consultative meeting on the situation in Libya, with the participation of the foreign ministers of Tunisia, Algeria, and Egypt [Libyan Express, 18.08.2019];
- Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu voiced on 17 August his country’s support for a peaceful settlement of the Libyan crisis, Anadolu Agency reported.Cavusoglu emphasized the importance of a peaceful settlement of the dispute in Libya, adding that “international community should display a united and principled stance to stop the clashes in Libya,” according to a statement on his Twitter after he met with his Libyan counterpart Mohammed Sayala in Khartoum, the capital of Sudan [Libyan Express, 18.08.2019];
- the newly appointed US Ambassador to Libya, Richard Norland reiterated his country’s support for a political solution in Libya, saying that there can be no military solution to the Libyan conflict. This came during a telephone conversation with Foreign Minister, Mohamed Sayala on 15 August, in which the US ambassador expressed his readiness to cooperate with the Government of National Accord, within the efforts of the United Nations Mission in Libya [Libya Observer, 17.08.2019];
- the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (UK) Boris Johnson has reaffirmed to the Head of the Presidential Council Fayez Al-Sarraj that there is no military solution in Libya and that it is paramount that a political solution is reached to regain stability in the country. Speaking on the phone with Al-Sarraj on 15 August, UK’s Prime Minister said his country recognizes “the Government of National Accord as the only legitimate body in Libya.” [Libya Observer, 15.08.2019].
