Libya Security Highlights (March 2 – 8, 2020)

In Al-Wishka, the Libyan National Army (LNA) repelled on March 7 an attack by the militias allied with the Tripoli-based Government of “National Accord” (GNA), southeast of Misrata.

In Mitiga, the Libyan National Army has announced that its units were able to destroy a Turkish operations room at the Mitiga Airbase in Tripoli, which was operating Turkish drones over western Libya.

The National Oil Corporation (NOC) announced that firefighting crews were exposed to heavy weapons fire while trying to control the fire of the Akakus Oil Operations Administration Building on the Airport Road in Tripoli

On the international level, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said that Turkish interference has hindered all efforts to settle the Libyan crisis peacefully.

The American Ambassador to Libya, Richard Norland, has expressed his country’s desire to appoint a successor to the head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) Ghassan Salame.

AL-WISHKA

• the Libyan National Army (LNA) repelled on March 7 an attack by the militias allied with the Tripoli-based Government of “National Accord” (GNA) in Al-Wishka axis southeast of Misrata, announced the media office of LNA’s Sirte Operations Room. “GNA militias launched a failed attack, where they were repulsed and defeated,” said the media office, quoting the Commander of Sirte Operations Room, Brigadier General Abdulla Nour al-Din al-Hammali [Address Libya, 07.03.2020].

TRIPOLI

• the Libyan National Army has announced that its units were able to destroy a Turkish operations room at the Mitiga Airbase in Tripoli, which was operating Turkish drones over western Libya. On the other hand, the army’s media office said that the LNA artillery has targeted sites of armed groups affiliated with the Tripoli-based Government of “National Accord” in the Al-Aziziya and Al-Hirah towns [Address Libya, 08.03.2020];

• indiscriminate shelling hit residential neighborhoods of Souq al-Ahad area in Tripoli on March 8, according to Battalion 134 of the Libyan National Army (LNA). Battalion 134 affirmed said the shells were fired by militias allied with Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA). No reports of civilian causalities so far [Address Libya, 08.03.2020];

• two civilians have been killed and four others wounded in renewed Grad and Mortar rockets’ shelling by Khalifa Haftar’s forces on Sooq Jumma and Arada in Tripoli. The media office of Volcano of Rage Operation of the Government of National Accord (GNA) confirmed on March 8 the number of casualties, saying the deaths were a man and a woman [Libya Observer, 08.03.2020];

• the Libyan National Army (LNA) shot down on March 7 a Turkish drone south of Tripoli. The air defenses of LNA shot down the Turkish drone took off from Mitiga air base in the capital, said the Military Information Division of LNA on its official Facebook page [Address Libya, 07.03.2020];

• the Libyan Army forces have destroyed an ammunition depot and a position for the forces of Khalifa Haftar in Qasir Benghashir, said Libyan Army spokesman Mohammed Gununu on March 7. Gununu told reporters that the operation came as a response to the targeting of civilians in Tripoli, adding that Volcano of Rage forces will tackle any attacks by “the aggression militias” [Libya Observer, 07.03.2020];
• the media office for Volcano of Rage Operation stated that a number of Grad rockets were launched by militias loyal to Khalifa Haftar in Tripoli on March 6. The rockets landed in the Abu Salim area, hitting the homes and property of citizens as prayer goers were arriving to their homes after performing Friday prayers at the local mosques [Libya Observer, 07.03.2020];
• the National Oil Corporation (NOC) announced that firefighting crews were exposed to heavy weapons fire while trying to control the fire of the Akakus Oil Operations Administration Building on the Airport Road in Tripoli, last Wednesday, March 4 [Libya Observer, 07.03.2020];

• the Libyan National Army declared its full control of the Al-Aziziya town south of Tripoli, days after the shooting down of several Turkish drones used by the forces of the Tripoli-based government of “National Accord.” After controlling the town, the LNA said it found a Grad missile platform used by the GNA armed groups to target civilians and residential neighborhoods [Address Libya, 03.03.2020];
• the Military Information Division of the the Libyan National Army (LNA) revealed on March 3 that LNA artillery had hit its targets accurately at Mitiga air base in Tripoli. The division explained on its official Facebook account that the artillery managed to destroy the operations room of the Turkish mercenaries at Mitiga air base, stressing that the human and material losses were great [Address Libya, 03.03.2020];
• the Libyan National Army announced that it had managed to destroy the Turkish air defense system at Mitiga Airport in Tripoli. “We assure the citizens that the sounds of the violent explosions in Mitiga are caused by the explosion of the targeted Turkish air defense platforms as part of the armed forces’ efforts to restore the civilian character of the airport,” the LNA said in a press statement [Address Libya, 03.03.2020];
• several sources confirmed that approximately 9 Grad rockets have fallen on Mitiga International Airport on March 2 night. The attack happened just as an Afriqiyah Airways plane was about to take off. The same sources added that the shelling at the airport caused extreme panic amongst the employees and passengers. Haftar’s forces had intensified their offensive on the airport and neighboring areas, with dozens of rocket attacks over the past two days, which has led to the death and injury of many civilians [Libya Observer, 03.03.2020].

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

• the President of the Arab Parliament, Meshaal al-Salami, called on the international community to take a firm stand to stop Turkish interference in the internal affairs of Arab countries Al-Salami renewed his rejection and condemnation of Turkish interference in the internal affairs of Arab countries and violation of the sovereignty of a number of them [Address Libya, 07.03.2020];
• the European Union hopes that a new naval mission in the eastern Mediterranean will be operational for the month of April, replacing the previous ‘Operation Sophia’ and focusing on the arms embargo in Libya [Address Libya, 05.03.2020];
• the Turkish Presidential Spokesman, Ibrahim Kalin, stated that Haftar and those militias loyal to him continue to violate the ceasefire, blatantly killing civilians in full view of the international community. Kalin said at a press conference that the United Nations and the world must carry out their mission to achieve a solution for the Libyan issue [Libya Observer, 05.03.2020];
• Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said that Turkish interference has hindered all efforts to settle the Libyan crisis peacefully. Shoukry said in Egypt’s speech at a meeting of the Council of the Arab League that “Libya is linked with Egypt by historical relations at all political, economic and humanitarian levels, and that Egyptian national security is directly affected by developments in the Libyan situation,” [Addres Libya, 05.03.202];
• the American Ambassador to Libya, Richard Norland, has expressed his country’s desire to appoint a successor to the head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) Ghassan Salame, in order to resume the political, security and economic talks between the Libyan sides [Libya Observer, 04.03.2020];
• Arab League (AL) Secretary General Ahmed Abul Gheit on March 4 renewed the AL’s commitment to efforts for supporting an immediate ceasefire in Libya. At a meeting with Mohammed Siyala, the foreign minister of the Tripoli-based Government of “National Accord” (GNA), the AL chief underlined the necessity of maintaining dialogue at the security, political and economic levels to reach a comprehensive settlement of the Libyan crisis [Address Libya, 04.03.2020];
• the US Charge d’Affaires Joshua Harris met with GNA Minister of Interior Fathi Bashagha and National Security Advisor Taj al-Din al-Rezagi on March 2. Joshua emphasized that the US embassy will work with Bashagha to ensure full implementation of US Executive Order 13726, which allows for sanctions against individuals that threaten the peace, security, and stability of Libya [Libya Observer, 04.03.2020];
• the Egyptian Foreign Minister, Sameh Shoukry, accused Turkey of seeking to make Libya a hub for terrorist organizations and foreign fighters, adding that these Turkish interventions and practices have a very serious impact on Egyptian national security [Address Libya, 03.03.2020];
• the United Nations special envoy for Libya said on March 2 he has resigned for health reasons days after his latest effort at peacemaking failed to achieve a breakthrough in the conflict [Address Libya, 02.03.2020];
• Syrian President Bashar al-Assad received on March 2 a delegation from the Libyan government headed by Abdul Rahman al-Ahirish, Deputy Prime Minister and Abdul-Hadi al-Hawaij, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. The meeting discussed, according to the media office of the Presidency of the Syrian Republic, the latest developments in Libya and Syria, the battle of the two countries against terrorism and foreign interference in all its forms [Address Libya, 02.03.2020].