Sudanese authorities announced that they had arrested 122 people who were on their way to Libya to “work as mercenaries,” according to the official SUNA news agency. The Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA) has long accused Sudanese mercenaries of supporting the forces of Khalifa Haftar.
Tag: Libya
New Mass Grave Found in Libya
At least nine bodies have been discovered in a new mass grave in the city of Tarhouna, western Libya. The announcement was made today by the forces of the Government of National Accord (GNA), recognized by the UN. Pro-GNA forces posted a statement to that effect on Facebook.
Russia Waits as Turkey to Resume Operations in Idlib
According to Russian news outlet avia.pro, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said that it is time for Turkey to actively continue its military operations in Syria’s Idlib province. The publication quoted him as saying that the Turkish military will continue to fight all “terrorist organizations” that pose a threat to Turkey’s security, whether inside its borders or outside them.
Libya — GNA, LNA Fight Over Sirte
In Libya, the operation by the forces under the Government of National Accord (GNA) to retake the city of Sirte back from the hands of General Khalifa Haftar continues. Rejecting Haftar’s call for a ceasefire, the Tripoli government, supported by Turkey, say they will not sit at the table without Sirte.
Sisi: Egypt Ready to Intervene in Libya
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi confirmed in a speech on Saturday, broadcast on Egyptian television, that Egypt’s direct entry into Libya “has become available to international legitimacy,” and involves goals. Sisi said this while inspecting the Egyptian army units in the western military zone.
Adieu, Turkey? Ankara Angers France Over Libya
French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said that Turkey’s actions in Libya by the hands of militants transferred to the region threaten the European Union. Furthermore, France will not allow anyone to annex the Mediterranean Sea. The Head of the French Foreign Ministry said this in an interview with the French newspaper, La Croix.
Libya — HRW Accuses Haftar’s Forces of War Crimes
Human Rights Watch (HRW) today called for an urgent investigation into possible war crimes committed by Marshal Khalifa Haftar’s forces in Libya, marking “apparent evidence of torture” and “summary executions.” HRW cited videos showing Haftar’s forces being involved in such acts.
Russia, Turkey, and Libya – What is their Strategy?
On Sunday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu flew to Turkey, and are holding meetings pertaining the situation in Libya. Since the overthrow and killing of the Libyan leader, Muammar al-Gaddafi, in 2011, Libya became a divided state.
Russia, UAE Support Egyptian Initiative On Libya
Russia and the United Arab Emirates praised the “Cairo Declaration” on Libya, which was approved by retired general Khalifa Haftar. The leader of the Libyan National Army (LNA) backed a cease fire to take effect from Monday. However, the Turkish-backed, UN-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) rejected it.
Russian Mercenaries in Libya – Lists Are Here
Libyan leader Muammar al-Gaddafi was murdered in 2011. There after, Libya became a divided state. Gaddafi, commonly known as Colonel Gaddafi, was a Libyan revolutionary, politician, and political theorist. Shortly after his death, it was announced that the war in Libya was over. In reality, the war mutated with a new trajectory.
Libya — GNA Retakes Tripoli Airport, Big Blow to Haftar
The forces of the Tripoli government, also known as the Government of National Accord (GNA), managed to re-seize the capital’s airport from forces loyal to General Khalifa Haftar on Wednesday. The news of the airport’s seizure was broken by the GNA’s army spokesman, Mohamed Qanunu.
Bangladesh Arrests Suspected Traffickers After Libyan Masacre
The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has arrested a businessman in Dhaka on suspicion of being involved in human trafficking of 26 Bangladeshis who were shot dead by their captors in Libya. A RAB director, Lt. Col. Rakibul Hasan, said the man, identified as Kamal Uddin, was arrested from Dhaka’s Shahjadpur area on Sunday night.
Putin and Erdogan Plays “Syria Game” in Libya
The recent crackdown on rebel leader General Khalifa Haftar’s forces in Libya has made it increasingly clear that Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan are set to take over covert control of the country’s future. Turkey provides military assistance to support of the government in Tripoli, while Gen. Haftar’s army has several thousand Russian “mercenaries.”
Human Traffickers Kill 26 Bangladeshis in Libya
The Embassy of Bangladesh in Libya has said that 26 Bangladeshi migrants have been killed after being abducted by human traffickers. Libya’s UN-backed government says, however, that 30 migrants, including the 26 Bangladeshis, were killed by the family of a Libyan human trafficker in retaliation for his death.
Libya: Marshal Haftar Announces Ramadan Truce
The leader of one of the belligerents in the ongoing conflict in Libya has announced a truce during the month of Ramadan. After two similar announcements were launched this year, the leader of the “Libyan National Army,” Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, announced Wednesday night “the cessation of all military operations” of the forces loyal to him on the occasion of the month of Ramadan.
Libya: GNA Expels Haftar’s Forces from West
Militias loyal to Libya’s Government of National Accord (GNA), based in Tripoli and recognized by the United Nations, announced Monday that they recovered two strategic cities that were in the hands of the powerful Marshal Khalifa Haftar, who controls much of the territory of the country.
Coronavirus: Red Cross Warns Virus May Overwhelm Libya
Due to a large number of victims of armed confrontation in Libya, hospitals are overloaded and unable to counteract the spread of the coronavirus, the Red Cross warns. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is concerned about the extremely limited capacity of hospitals in Libya to counter the current COVID-19 pandemic.
Dozens of Migrants Escape in Libya After Failed Crossing
After their failed crossing to Europe, dozens of migrants fled the port of the Libyan capital, Tripoli, on Friday. This was reported by a spokeswoman for the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Geneva on Saturday. Around 200 migrants, who also wanted to flee, were caught.
Coronavirus: Mahmoud Jibril, Former Libyan PM, Dies from Virus
The former Libyan Prime Minister, Mahmoud Jibril, succumbed to the deadly COVID-19 in Egypt’s capital, Cairo. The death was officially announced on Sunday by his party, the National Forces Alliance. The leader is said to have suffered cardiac arrest. Three days later he tested positive for the virus.
Libya: Haftar Says Yes to Conditional Ceasefire
Libyan military commander Khalifa Haftar has told French President Emmanuel Macron he will sign a ceasefire if militias backing the internationally recognized government respect it. The meeting was held discretely for nearly an hour at the Elysée Palace in Paris, and left off President Macron’s schedule.
Maas Urges Countries to Respect Arms Embargo in Libya
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas announced on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference that the International Berlin Follow-up Commission on Libya agrees that the UN Security Council resolution on Libya is binding to all parties. Four weeks ago, world leaders in Berlin pledged to comply with the UN arms embargo on Libya and not support parties involved in Libya. But the negotiations were unsuccessful, because, through land, and sea, weapons entered the battlefield in Libya.
African Union Summit Seeks Greater Role in Libyan Crisis
The 33rd African Union Summit will be launched Sunday in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, under the slogan “Silencing the guns to create conditions for Africa’s development.” The presidency of the summit will move from Egypt to South Africa, and to President Cyril Ramaphosa from President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi. Today, Ramaphosa presides over a closed session to present the challenges that stand in the way of Africa’s progress.
Libya: Parties Prepared for Peace in Precarious Predicament
News sources on Tuesday released a report from Geneva announcing progress in the Libyan peace talks. The issue is about a permanent ceasefire in the war-torn country. With the mediation of the United Nations, all parties involved in the civil war in Libya have agreed on the need for a “permanent and lasting” ceasefire to replace an uncertain truce. However, the terms of each party’s acceptance and implementation of the ceasefire are subject to discussion by their representatives.
Libya: Turkey and France Accuse Each Other of Breaking Cease Fire
Less than two weeks after the Libyan conference in Berlin, French President Emmanuel Macron has sharply criticized Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. According to Macron, Turkey has broken its promise not to interfere in the affairs of the troubled North African state. The French president views the issue as a “clear violation” of what was agreed in Berlin.
African Union to Discuss Libyan Crisis
The Congolese capital, Brazzaville, will host a mini-African summit on the Libyan crisis on January 30, before the AU summit scheduled for February 9th. It comes at a time when the Libyan capital is witnessing a state of security chaos, after the expansion of the presence of militias and foreign mercenaries in its various parts that are still under the authority of the government.
Erdogan Urges More Pressure on Libya’s Haftar
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged higher international pressure on the military forces in eastern Libya to accept a provisional truce, and said that Turkey remains committed to supporting the Libyan government recognized by the UN. Erdogan made the comments after a meeting in Istanbul with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who last Sunday hosted a peace conference on Libya in Berlin. The conference resulted in a provisional ceasefire.
Libya Peace Conference Calls for Civil War Ceasefire
International allies of the Libyan government, supported by the United Nations, and rebel forces led by General Khalifa Haftar agreed on Sunday to respect a ceasefire initiated a week ago, and an arms embargo imposed by the UN Security Council. World leaders are hoping for a way out of the civil war that has plagued the country for five years.
Libyan Prime Minister Calls for Deployment of UN Peacekeepers
On the eve of the Libyan conference in Berlin, Libyan Prime Minister Faiz al-Saraj called for international support for the government. Meanwhile, Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar is seizing on Libya’s important oil ports to step up his pressure on the government. The Libyan Prime Minister has formally called on the United Nations to support the country’s official government by calling for peacekeepers.
German Foreign Minister Heads to Libya to Meet Khalifa Haftar
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas headed to Libya today to hold talks with Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, commander of the so-called Libyan National Army. Maas’ visit takes place just three days before the planned Libyan summit in the German capital, Berlin.
Libyan Conflict – What is the Turkish and Russian Agenda?
Russia will host Fayez al-Serraj and Khalifa Haftar in Moscow in an attempt to achieve peace in Libya. According to Russian news, Haftar is already in Russia. Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, who is a Turkish politician and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey since 24 November 2015, is expected to join them. Hakan Fidan is a retired Turkish army sergeant, teacher, diplomat and the head of Turkey’s National Intelligence Organization. he is expected to attend as well. Hulusi Akar is the current Turkish Minister of Defense and a former four-star Turkish Armed Forces general who served as the 29th Chief of the General Staff. He will be arriving with al Serraj for the talks. Observers from Egypt and United Arab Emirates will be in attendance. The latest development is that Haftar left without signing any type peace resolution.
Merkel and Putin Call for Solution to Conflict in Libya
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and her Russian counterpart, President Vladimir Putin, called for a solution to the crisis in Libya Saturday. After a meeting in Moscow, which also discussed the escalation of tensions in the Middle East, both leaders urged the parties to negotiate. Earlier this week, Russia and Turkey— which support opposing sides— called for a cease fire.
Turkey’s Parliament Approves Plan to Send Troops to Libya
Turkey’s parliament has approved the deployment of soldiers to Libya for one year. The Turkish soldiers are to support Libya’s internationally-recognized government, currently under pressure from General Khalifa Haftar’s forces. During Thursday’s vote, 325 MPs voted in favor and 184 against the move by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government.
The Rise and Fall of Social Media Influence Against Totalitarian Regimes
Social media has become part of our daily lives, from reading breaking news, to communication for business and personal purposes. It is an important tool for many in their daily lives, no matter how one uses it. It is also a dangerous tool, where one can have their life ruined. People have lost jobs over their posts, as well as being targeted and bullied on social media platforms. Some take it upon themselves to label other people online with the false narrative of being trolls (even though the profiles are legit!), just to cause turmoil.
2019: A Year in Review of Events that Influenced the Geopolitical Balance and Defense Around the Globe
There has been a tug of war for geopolitical influence and attempts to disrupt the already established balance throughout 2019. We also saw the formation of interesting and very invasive social media polices around the globe. Hence, there were ramifications and changes to the social media landscape:
- France implementing new measures to track and monitor the social media of its citizens.
- Russia is working to complete their digital iron curtain.
- China implementing draconian verification process impacting social credit and privacy.
- UK to ruthlessly start collecting DNA.
- We’ve also seen the rise of deep fake technology that could have a great impact on the US 2020 Presidential elections as well as on the global scale.
Let’s look at the world’s main players and regions:
Erdogan: Turkey to Send Troops to Libya
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced Thursday that the country’s national Parliament would vote in January to allow troops to be sent to Libya. Turkey is backing the interim government of the Libyan National Agreement (GAN), against the forces of Marshal Khalifa Haftar, who is backed by Russia and Egypt.
Libyan Forces Loyal to Haftar Shoot Down Italian Drone
Forces lоуаl tо Fіеld Marshal Khаlіfа Hаftаr аnnоunсеd that they shot down аn Itаlіаn drоnе flying іn аn area undеr its іnfluеnсе. Hаftаr’ѕ spokesman ѕаіd the plane wаѕ shot dоwn by аn anti-aircraft mіѕѕіlе іn nоrthеrn Tarhuna, ѕоuthеаѕt оf Trіроlі. Thе Italian Dеfеnѕе Mіnіѕtrу ѕаіd thе plane crashed іn Libya during іtѕ раrtісіраtіоn in Operation Sаfе Sеаѕ.
Libyan Airstrike on Factory Kills Seven Workers
Lіbуаn gоvеrnmеnt fоrсеѕ оn Mоndау ассuѕеd fоrсеѕ lоуаl tо Fіеld Mаrѕhаl Khаlіfа Haftar оf lаunсhіng аn аіrѕtrіkе оn a bіѕсuіt fасtоrу іn thе south of thе саріtаl Tripoli. The strike killed seven workers, іnсludіng twо Lіbуаnѕ аnd fіvе fоrеіgnеrѕ, thе hеаlth mіnіѕtrу ѕаіd. Thе gоvеrnmеnt fоrсеѕ соnѕіdеrеd thаt “thе UAE Aіr Fоrсе, аnd thе ѕuрроrtеrs оf the сrіmіnаl General Khalifa Haftar” bоmbеd thе fасtоrу, whісh іѕ lосаtеd behind thе аrеаѕ оf сlаѕhеѕ.
Sisi, Merkel Talk Libya, Regional Developments in Friday Call
Egyptian Prеѕіdеnt Abdel Fattah аl-Sіѕі briefed Gеrmаn Chаnсеllоr Angеlа Merkel оn his country’s vіѕіоn tо rеѕоlvе thе Libyan issue during a tеlерhоnе conversation оn Frіdау ahead оf a mееtіng іn Berlin on the Libya crisis. Sisi stressed thе nееd tо еnd fоrеіgn іntеrfеrеnсе іn thе Lіbуаn аrеnа.
UN Report: Jordan, Turkey, UAE Violating Libyan Arms Embargo
A rероrt bу thе UN ассuѕеѕ Jоrdаn, Turkey and the Unіtеd Arаb Emіrаtеѕ of rереаtеdlу violating an аrmѕ bаn in Lіbуа for уеаrѕ. The report, whісh саmе from a уеаr оf UN еxреrtѕ’ research, said thе thrее соuntrіеѕ hаd “provided wеароnѕ to Libya” regularly, аnd ѕоmеtіmеѕ ореnlу, without trуіng to hіdе resources. Bоth ѕіdеѕ іnvоlvеd іn Libya wеrе рrоvіdеd wіth thеѕе weapons and tесhnісаl ѕuрроrt, ассоrdіng tо the rероrt.
Maas Lands in Libya for Unannounced Visit
Gеrmаn Fоrеіgn Mіnіѕtеr Hеіkо Mааѕ arrived іn Libya оn Sundау for an unаnnоunсеd vіѕіt fоr ѕесurіtу rеаѕоnѕ. Maas рlаnѕ to mееt Lіbуаn Prіmе Mіnіѕtеr Fауеz аl-Sаrrаj, who hеаdѕ the UN-backed gоvеrnmеnt оf nаtіоnаl rесоnсіlіаtіоn, in thе соаѕtаl city of Zuwara, аbоut 120 kilometers wеѕt оf thе capital Trіроlі. Tаlkѕ between the two sides аrе еxресtеd tо revolve around thе Bеrlіn соnfеrеnсе, whісh wіll brіng tоgеthеr Lіbуаn раrtіеѕ.
Are There Any Geopolitical Winners in Libya Since Gaddafi’s Death 8 Years Ago?
Muammar Mohammed Abu Minyar al-Gaddafi was murdered 8 years ago. Gaddafi, commonly known as Colonel Gaddafi, was a Libyan revolutionary, politician, and political theorist. Shortly after his death, it was announced that the war in Libya was over. In reality, the war mutated into a new trajectory. Even the worst pessimists could not have predicted the ramifications. Former US President Barack Obama scarcely admitted it was a mistake.
Over 500 Migrants Stranded in the Mediterranean Sea – No Port Willing to Let Them Dock
The Norwegian ship Ocean Viking saved another 105 migrants from Libya on Monday. There are a total of 356 people on board. At the same time, 150 migrants remain “trapped” on the Spanish Open Arms ship near the Italian island of Lampedusa. Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini has ordered all Italian ports closed for refugees and illegal migrants. Meanwhile, some migrants have reportedly been waiting on ships for over ten days.
Temporary Libyan Ceasefire Broken After Mitiga International Airport Missile Attack
The UN-brokered temporary cease-fire in Libya did not last long. The parties involved in the Libyan war agreed to end the war temporarily in the capital of Tripoli. Released news said several rockets have been fired at Mitiga International Airport. The Libyan government’s army, as well as the forces affiliated with General Khalifa Khostar, accused each other of violating the ceasefire. According to officials at the Airport, all flights were canceled but the airport reopened after maintenance and cleaning.
Migration to Europe: European Countries Agree On the Distribution of Refugees in the EU
France has announced that eight European countries have agreed to co-host migrants rescued in the waters of the Mediterranean Sea, but Italy is not one of those countries. French President Emmanuel Macaron said six other countries supported a French-German plan to resettle migrants following talks in Paris.
Migration to Europe: UN Urges Libya to Close Detention Centers After Deadly Bombing
The United Nations has called for the closure of immigration detention centers in Libya, saying these facilities are unsuitable for shelter. This comes about two weeks after the killing of more than fifty people in an air strike targeting a detention center in the Libyan capital Tripoli.
Germany Rescue Ship Changes Course Towards Malta – Salvini Turns Them Away
The German aid organization, Sea-Eye wants to bring 65 rescued migrants to Malta. Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini forced the ship in Lampedusa to turn back. The German rescue ship “Alan Kurdi” had been waiting for hours in front of the Italian island. Italy’s Interior Minister Matteo Salvini had strictly forbidden the ship to enter the port.
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