Libya: Dbeibeh and Bashagha… Warnings and News of New Military Operations
The Libyan government of President Fathi Bashagha has warned forces affiliated with the government of Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh against starting a new war in the west of the country.
The Interior Ministry of the Government of Fathi Bashagha, which was assigned by the House of Representatives (parliament), said in a statement published through its official Facebook page that “confirmed security information was available to it to form the Chief of Staff of the government of Dbeibeh Muhammad Al-Haddad and his intelligence chief Hussein Al-Aaeb, an operations room for the use of controlled flight at Mitiga Air Base (Tripoli), and their direct supervision of the use of drones used for military purposes.”
“These planes were used to bomb civilians and bomb regular policemen, who are doing their regular job controlling security and are located some 10 kilometers from the battle lines, killing two policemen and wounding scores of civilians, as well as targeting ambulances,” the ministry said, without specifying the location or timing of the attacks.
According to a statement issued by the Interior Ministry, Fathi Bashagha’s officials held “intensive meetings with a number of armed groups, prompting them to attack Jafara, which extends geographically from the foot of the mountain south to the sea in the north, Janzour in the east and al-Zawiya in the west”.
In the same statement, Interior Minister of the Libyan government Issam Abu Zriba blamed “Muhammad Al-Haddad, Hussein al-Aaeb, members of the Chamber and all armed groups that are participating in the attack, in their capacity and names, for any military or paramilitary action aimed at provoking sedition and war in the Jafara region.”
The interior minister also held them “fully and directly responsible for using the air force against military and paramilitary groups and inciting violence in the Jafara region.”
At the end of the statement, the Libyan Ministry of Interior called on the Panel of Experts of the UN Security Council Sanctions Committee, the diplomatic missions of the 5 permanent members of the Security Council, the European Union and human rights organizations to investigate the use of these prohibited weapons in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions on Libya.
Forces loyal to the Dbeibeh government are conducting military build-up operations near Tripoli’s old airport in preparation for storming the Warshafana area, the staging point for Juwaili and pro-Bashagha forces that were driven out of Tripoli in the recent war.
Sources quoted by Afrigate News said that forces led by Muammar Al-Dhawi loyal to Bashagha blocked the roads leading to Warshafana in fear of the advance of the tanks.
According to the sources, the Defense Ministry’s Chief of Staff threatened Bashagha’s forces if they did not withdraw using drones, as happened in the recent clashes.
Medical sources said that ambulance services were alerted following an order from a health official close to an armed group in Tripoli.
Libya is experiencing a conflict between two governments; the first is the government of Fathi Bashagha, appointed by the Council of Representatives last March, and the second is the outgoing government of national unity, headed by Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh, who refuses to hand over power.
