In Al-Zawiya, a terrorist bombing targeted the Al-Jeel al-Said School in the Abu Eisa area in Al-Zawiya west of Tripoli, causing various injuries among students. The media center of Al-Karama Operations Room of the Libyan National Army (LNA) confirmed that the explosion took place on Monday.
In Benghazi, several people were wounded when a firefight broke out with light and medium weapons between two groups of ‘Haftar’s militias’ in “Alkeish” square in Benghazi on February 14.
In Tripoli, the Mitiga International Airport announced on February 13 the suspension of flights after being targeted with shelling.
On the international level, the report of the Munich Security Conference has warned that Libya could turn to a Syria issue, saying it could be another humanitarian issue after Khalifa Haftar has launched an offensive against Tripoli to seize power.
AL-ZAWIYA
- a terrorist bombing targeted the Al-Jeel al-Said School in the Abu Eisa area in Al-Zawiya west of Tripoli, causing various injuries among students. The media center of Al-Karama Operations Room of the Libyan National Army (LNA) confirmed that the explosion took place on Monday, at nine in the morning, resulting in injuries among the students. The Center said in a statement, “This method of terrorist acts is known to ISIS, Ansar al-Sharia, the Benghazi Shura, Al-Nusra Front, and other terrorist groups,” as it put it [Address Libya, 10.02.2020].
BENGHAZI
- several people were wounded when a firefight broke out with light and medium weapons between two groups of ‘Haftar’s militias’ in “Alkeish” square in Benghazi on February 14, local sources have reported. Several of Haftar’s supporters gathered in the square to celebrate the start of the so-called Dignity Operation that was declared by Khalifa Haftar six years ago. Pro-Haftar’s TV channels cut the broadcasting immediately as the people fled the place in a state of panic. The firefight was reported to be between the so-called criminal investigation department and an armed group headed by Faraj Qaeem also affiliated to Haftar’s forces [Libya Observer, 15.02.2020].
TRIPOLI
- the Tripoli Mitiga International Airport announced on February 13 the suspension of flights after being targeted with shelling. The airport administration did not reveal the party that had targeted it. No casualties were reported so far [Address Libya, 13.02.2020];
- shells fired by Haftar’s militias killed at least one person and wounded others in Tripoli, the volcano of Rage Operation says. The shells reportedly struck a café in the “Shouk” road in Salah al-Din area south of Tripoli. Earlier in the day, militias of Haftar fired a number of shells targeted the residential neighbourhood adjacent to Tripoli’s University, resulting in the injury of several people [Libya Observer, 13.02.2020];
- one woman was killed and several civilians were wounded in fresh rocket attacks on February 12 by Khalifa Haftar’s forces on residential areas in Tripoli. “A woman named Layla Bukharais was killed in Hay Dimashiq area in Tripoli as one of Haftar’s indiscriminate rockets fell on her house. Three civilians were injured. While in another rocket attack, several civilians were wounded in Abu Salim and Al-Hadba.” Media office of Volcano of Rage Operation said [Libya Observer, 13.02.2020].
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
- the Italian Defence Minister, Lorenzo Guerini has said that his country is convinced that there is no military solution in Libya. Guerini explained that the crisis in Libya is extremely challenging for Italy, given the players involved -whether they were countries or parties- have completely different agendas, according to the Italian news agency “Nova” [Libya Oerver, 16.02.2020];
- the German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas has confirmed that the International Berlin Follow-up Commission on Libya agrees that the UN Security Council resolution on Libya is binding to all parties [Libya Observer, 16.02.2020];
- the report of the Munich Security Conference has warned that Libya could turn to a Syria issue, saying it could be another humanitarian issue after Khalifa Haftar has launched an offensive against Tripoli to seize power [Libya Observer, 16.02.2020];
- European Union governments need to be willing to intervene in international crises or risk prolonging paralysis in their foreign policy, the EU’s top diplomat said on February 16 [Address Libya, 16.02.2020];
- Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry underlined on February 16 the importance of focusing on restoring the legitimacy of Libyan institutions and re-forming the Presidential Council to include all Libyan groups [Address Libya, 16.02.2020];
- a top UN official has described the arms embargo on Libya as a “joke” and said the pause in fighting was “holding by a thread”, in a gloomy assessment of the prospects for peace in the North African country. Stephanie Williams, the deputy UN envoy, said Libya was “awash with weaponry” and called on the international community to do more to curb their interference in the conflict [Address Libya, 16.02.2020];
- Italy’s Foreign Minister, Luigi Di Maio, has called on February 16 for the establishment of a European Union mission to monitor the UN-imposed arms embargo on Libya [Address Libya, 16.02020];
- on the sidelines of the Munich summit, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian called on Turkey to respect the conclusion of the Berlin Conference on Libya, which agreed on the cessation of hostilities in the Libyan crisis [Address Libya, 16.02.2020];
- Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov affirmed that the Libyan National Army (LNA) commander, Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, is not a symbol of divide but rather one of the parties to the conflict in the country, according to the recognition of the Security Council [Address Libya, 15.02.2020];
- the Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on February 15 that Khalifa Haftar doesn’t want political solutions but military ones to end the Libyan crisis. In a press conference in Munich, in the presence of German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, Cavusoglu accused Haftar of violating the ceasefire constantly since January 12, saying Haftar should be stopped so a political solution can be reached, according to Reuters [Libya Observer, 15.02.2020];
- Ismail Sharqi, the African Union’s Commissioner for Peace and Security said that the AU is ready to work alongside the United Nations and all of Libya’s friends to ensure the war is stopped [Address Libya, 15.01.2020];
- S. Assistant Secretary at the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, David Schenker, considered it necessary to dismantle armed militias in Libya because peace and security in the Mediterranean region were at stake [Address Libya, 13.02.2020];
- the UN Security Council passed a resolution on February 12 calling for a lasting ceasefire without preconditions in Libya. The resolution, drafted by the UK, also calls for an immediate end to the supply of arms to both sides of the conflict. The resolution was backed by 14 of the Council Members, with Russia abstaining [Libya Observer, 12.02.2020];
- the Security Council extended on February 12 the authorization of measures against the illicit export of petroleum products, including crude oil and refined petroleum products, from Libya until 30 April 2021, including inspections by Member States of designated vessels on the high seas, according to UN [Address Libya, 12.02.2020];
- Commander of the United States Central Command, General Kenneth McKenzie, commented on the Turkish military presence in Libya, saying that foreign intervention will complicate the situation and in all cases [Address Libya, 11.02.2020];
- the US Ambassador to Libya, Richard Norland has reaffirmed his country’s support for the efforts of the Government of National Accord (GNA) to disband armed groups in Libya [Libya Observer, 11.02.2020];
- Russian Ambassador to Syria Alexander Efimov stated that Moscow is concerned about the transferring of militants from Idlib to other regions in Syria and Libya. The Russian ambassador added in a press statement on February 10 that “the situation with the transferring of militants from Idlib to other parts of Syria and abroad, for example, to Libya, cannot but worry us.” [Address Libya, 11.02.2020];
- the African Union vowed on February 10 to boost efforts to end the crisis in Libya and support a faltering UN-led peace process, the AU’s Peace and Security Council chief said [Address Libya, 10.02.2020].
