Russia, America, Turkey: Why Conflicting Parties In Libya? – OpEd

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Libya’s internationally recognised government recaptured Tripoli’s main airport but driving an eastern commander’s forces from the capital ahead of what appeared to move towards talks on a truce. Following a month of gains for the Government of National Accord (GNA) as Turkish drone strikes helped it drive the eastern-based Libyan National Army (LNA) of Khalifa Haftar from much of its foothold in the northwest.

The LNA driven from almost all its ground in the capital, the next rounds of fighting to focus on the areas to the south and southeast of Tripoli around Gharyan, held by the GNA, and Tarhouna, held by the LNA.

Russia had sent at least 14 warplanes to an airbase held by eastern forces. this air flight warplane had struck near Gharyan, the first acknowledged use of warplanes by eastern forces since Washington said Russia had supplied the new MiG 29 and Su-24 jets.

It was the first time Russian armed forces were identified in Libya.

Although the Wagner Group purportedly enjoys Russian state backing, the Kremlin had initially stopped short of deploying official military assets to Libya. US Army General Stephen said “For too long, Russia has denied the full extent of its involvement in the ongoing Libyan conflict,” Townsend, who leads AFRICOM. “We watched as Russia flew fourth-generation jet fighters to Libya — every step of the way.”

Prime Minister Ahmed Maiteeg of Libya’s internationally-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) arrived in Moscow for talks on stop parties have agreed to restart the ceasefire, respond to that the Libyan Army under the command of the Government of National Accord (GNA) has seized full control on Qasir Benghashir onwards since Haftar’s forces left their positions in Qasir Benghashir, Sabea, and Souq Al-Khamis, fleeing to Tarhouna and Bani Walid. GNA forces also seized control of Qasir Benghashir roundabout, Al-Ahyaa Al-Bariya, and Kazirma, let alone the control of GNA forces over Khallatat, Khalla, and Yarmouk Camp, which all were positions for Haftar’s forces.

The US general noted that neither Haftar’s Libyan National Army (LNA) nor private military contractors could “arm, operate and sustain these fighters without state support they are getting from Russia. Adding Wagner group already has up to 1,200 mercenaries in Libya.

We can call Hafter now Russia’s man, Moscow has sought to expand its influence in the Middle East and North Africa, and supported that mission through military escapades. In Syria, Moscow deployed its armed forces to prop up the Assad regime, a move that has ensured its place as a regional stakeholder. the objective to that Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to control Europe and possibly even deep-rooted influence and control in the wider MENA region also he wants the logistical and geo-strategical advantage he is attempting to achieve.

Another side with Tunisia’s parliament speaker Rachid Ghannouchi said neutrality on Libya is meaningless, adding that a political solution is the safest way to end insecurity and chaos in Libya. Adding “Libya’s neighbors cannot live in carelessness. If there is a fire at your neighbor, you cannot be neutral; extinguishing the fire is a duty and necessity, so passive neutrality makes no sense”. Moreover, Tunisia’s vision is that a political solution in Libya is the safest way to overcome insecurity and chaos.

At the end the refusal of some Tunisian opposition parties of his communication – as speaker of parliament – with the internationally recognized Libyan government headed by Fayez al-Sarraj, Ghannouchi stressed that his communication “did not exceed the Tunisian diplomacy rules.”

This trend is in support of Turkey to the reconciliation government to eliminate Russia. Also, Russian-Turkish ties have thawed in recent years, the countries back opposing parties in Syria and Libya. The Turkish government threatened to strike Haftar’s forces if they continued to attack diplomatic missions in Tripoli, where the UN-backed government is based. Libya is rich in energy sources, migrants can be leveraged in negotiations with Turkish wants that power.

America’s attempts to calm the situation through peaceful intervention using the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Libyan government expressed grave concern over reports regarding the killing of civilians in Tripoli by explosive land mines laid by Haftar’s militias in the homes of those displaced from areas that were under Haftar’s control south of the capital.

They found in civilian homes in the areas of Ain Zara and Salah al-Din in Tripoli. Residents who returned to their homes in these areas have been killed or injured by explosive devices and mines that were placed inside or near their place of residence. responding to that UNICEF’s Special Representative in Libya, Abd al-Rahman Ghandour, emphasized that “all parties to the conflict have to respect their obligations under international humanitarian law and international human rights law.”

The Libyan Interior Ministry mechanisms to recruit individuals from backup forces who have been fighting on and around Tripoli frontlines. Moreover, the aimed to put in place a program for backup forces in order to have them join state institutions after the end of the war, adding that Defense and Interior Ministries bear the biggest responsibility for the involvement of those forces in their employment programs, urging for providing the necessary financial support by relevant state authorities for this plan. This is the time to built state security and defense institutions and in the second step, they need a better economy and more financial assistance for security and military projects in the country.

UNSMIL emphasized in a statement that the resumption of dialogue constitutes a response by the parties to the desire and calls of the overwhelming majority of Libyans who long for a return to a safe and dignified life as quickly as possible. it was mention before acceptance by the Government of National Accord and Haftar’s forces of the resumption of talks on the ceasefire and associated security arrangements based on the draft agreement submitted by UNSMIL to the parties during the Joint Military Commission talks (5+5) last February.

UNSMIL hopes that the response of the parties coincides with the cessation of hostilities and a reduction in the use of incitement and hate speech in order to reach a solution, also they are hoping to a resumption of the JMC talks will be marked by a return to calm and a humanitarian truce to pave the way for a lasting ceasefire agreement; enable the competent authorities to focus on addressing the repercussions and threat of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the end, we can be said that the conflict is still in Libya, and no one can stand in front of it unless the conflicting forces retreat from Libya, and we also want the two governments to leave Libya, we want democracy state.

Prof. Miral Sabry AlAshry

Prof. Miral Sabry AlAshry is Co-lead for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) at the Centre for Freedom of the Media, the Department of Journalism Studies at the University of Sheffield.

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