Via a news site called AMN, I read the following:
The spokesperson for the Libyan National Army (LNA), Major General Ahmed Al-Mismari, said on Friday December 27, that the LNA is only a few hundred meters away from the main neighborhoods of Tripoli.
. . . He stressed that “the Libyan National Army took control of strategic areas along the airport road in Tripoli,” noting that “dozens of bodies of militia were found along the road.”
In mid-December the LNA stated that they planned to take Tripoli. The battle between the LNA and the GNA (Government of National Accord - in Tripoli) had been in a long standstill over Tripoli. This new push appears to be moving forward -- though at still a slow pace as the LNA has still not controlled the "main neighborhoods of Tripoli."
The GNA must be concerned; however, about their ability to repulse the LNA, because their ally Turkey is prepared to get more involved in the fighting. From Bloomberg:
Turkey is preparing to deploy troops and naval forces to support the internationally recognized Libyan government, joining a planned push by Ankara-backed Syrian rebels to defeat strongman Khalifa Haftar.
. . . Turkey recently signed a maritime deal with oil-rich Libya that serves the energy interests of both countries and aims to salvage billions of dollars of business contracts thrown into limbo by the conflict.
At the same time, ethnic Turkmen rebel groups that have fought alongside Turkey in northern Syria are expected to reinforce the government in Tripoli imminently, said the Turkish official and a senior official with the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord.
The article states that 500 rebels are ready to go to Libya and that Turkey's President Erdogan is waiting for approval from parliament, which will occur in January.
Al Jazeera has the following:
Turkey and Qatar support the GNA, while Russia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, Egypt and France, support Haftar.
Moscow has voiced concerns over any Turkish deployment in support of the GNA. Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke to Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte on Thursday and they agreed the crisis must be resolved peacefully, the Kremlin said.
Russia last month denied reports in the New York Times that it had sent mercenaries to fight on Haftar's side, while the UN has also accused LNA forces of recruiting fighters from Sudan.
Of course, the LNA is not happy about potential further involvement from Turkey. Al Jazeera also has this:
The speaker of Libya's eastern-based parliament has labelled Turkey's offer to deploy troops to the war-wracked country as "unacceptable," saying such a move would amount to unwanted meddling in the internal affairs of a sovereign state.
What exactly is going on here? We know that Turkey recently purchased weapon systems from Russia. Yet, in Libya, the two nations are in a proxy war. (I don't buy Russia's denial of mercenaries fighting with Haftar. To me, Russian mercenaries is probably one reason why the LNA is inching closer and closer to Tripoli.)
Back in September 2019, I took this quote from Gulf News, which highlighted some reasons for why Turkey was involving itself in Libya. The main reason revolved around the Muslim Brotherhood and financial contracts in Libya:
If Haftar succeeds in taking Tripoli, Erdogan’s ambitions in the Arab World would be coming to an end, as government troops regain control of most of Syria, and Brotherhood-affiliates are rounded up in Yemen.
A Haftar victory would end Erdogan’s ideological schemes for Libya and terminate the steady arms flow that his proxies have been sending to Sinai. For years, these weapons have made their way into Egypt and reached the hands of the Daesh-affiliated Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis, where they were used to launch attacks against the Egyptian police and armed forces.
In Tripoli itself, Turkey will likely be excluded from all future business contracts with a Haftar-led government and its $23 billion debt to Libya will probably get scrapped. So would the $18 billion worth of contracts, mostly in construction, currently signed with Fayez Al Sarraj. The Turkish leader believes that General Haftar, like Colonel Muammar Gaddafi before him, supports Kurdish national aspirations in Turkey.
The Independent has another argument for Turkey's involvement: energy.
The discovery of large gas reserves in the eastern Mediterranean, around Greece, Cyprus, Egypt and Israel, have left energy-poor Turkey worried, and Moscow knows it.
Now this is me speculating, but I think the issue here is that these countries (Greece/Egypt) that aren't on friendly terms with Turkey could become more wealthy and have greater influence in this region due to these gas reserves. Losing Libya as a potential ally would only weaken Turkey's influence.
To me, the article goes a little off with the following:
The Russians, clearly with Turkey’s support, are upping the game, and trying to dominate both sides of the conflict in Libya, as part of the effort to knock the west out of the country. And so far, the Russian plan is coming up trumps. Now, Erdogan is going to send “air, ground and sea” military support, in addition to Syrian Turkmen mercenaries, to block Haftar’s ambitions, but also to boost Russia’s decisive role in the conflict.
The article attempts to align Russia with Turkey, which might be true, but does so by pointing to what is happening in Libya. The article mentions that the Russians are supporting both the LNA and GNA. And also states that Turkey is supporting the GNA. And all of this is to boost Russia's role in Libya. I just don't get this. If Turkey does send troops to support the GNA, then in all likelihood, Russians will be killings Turks. I'm just not sure how this leads to the thought process that the Russians and Turks are coordinating efforts here. Also, I'm not sure about the base argument that Russia is siding both with the LNA and GNA as The Daily Beast (Sep 12) wrote this about the Russian militia situation in Libya: Another set of documents outline a strategic alternative to boosting the unimpressive field marshal’s [LNA's Haftar] political fortunes—a campaign to help his opponent Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, son of the late dictator Muammar Gaddafi and an international fugitive from charges of crimes against humanity. This quote indicates that the Russians aren't sold on Haftar, but aren't looking to switch to the GNA, but to Gaddafi's son.
Though I have problems with the article, I do think the energy angle is something to consider and how this might be pressuring Turkey to keep their current political influence in the region. Also, it is possible that Russia and Turkey are working together in Libya. I'm just doubtful about that.
Now, I'm focusing on Turkey and Russia, but we also have a situation where NATO allies France and Turkey are on different sides in this conflict -- though one does have to wonder how much Turkey really cares about NATO at this point in time.
No matter the way this plays out, there is currently a lot of international intrigue that is revolving around Libya.
The spokesperson for the Libyan National Army (LNA), Major General Ahmed Al-Mismari, said on Friday December 27, that the LNA is only a few hundred meters away from the main neighborhoods of Tripoli.
. . . He stressed that “the Libyan National Army took control of strategic areas along the airport road in Tripoli,” noting that “dozens of bodies of militia were found along the road.”
In mid-December the LNA stated that they planned to take Tripoli. The battle between the LNA and the GNA (Government of National Accord - in Tripoli) had been in a long standstill over Tripoli. This new push appears to be moving forward -- though at still a slow pace as the LNA has still not controlled the "main neighborhoods of Tripoli."
The GNA must be concerned; however, about their ability to repulse the LNA, because their ally Turkey is prepared to get more involved in the fighting. From Bloomberg:
Turkey is preparing to deploy troops and naval forces to support the internationally recognized Libyan government, joining a planned push by Ankara-backed Syrian rebels to defeat strongman Khalifa Haftar.
. . . Turkey recently signed a maritime deal with oil-rich Libya that serves the energy interests of both countries and aims to salvage billions of dollars of business contracts thrown into limbo by the conflict.
At the same time, ethnic Turkmen rebel groups that have fought alongside Turkey in northern Syria are expected to reinforce the government in Tripoli imminently, said the Turkish official and a senior official with the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord.
The article states that 500 rebels are ready to go to Libya and that Turkey's President Erdogan is waiting for approval from parliament, which will occur in January.
Al Jazeera has the following:
Turkey and Qatar support the GNA, while Russia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, Egypt and France, support Haftar.
Moscow has voiced concerns over any Turkish deployment in support of the GNA. Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke to Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte on Thursday and they agreed the crisis must be resolved peacefully, the Kremlin said.
Russia last month denied reports in the New York Times that it had sent mercenaries to fight on Haftar's side, while the UN has also accused LNA forces of recruiting fighters from Sudan.
Of course, the LNA is not happy about potential further involvement from Turkey. Al Jazeera also has this:
The speaker of Libya's eastern-based parliament has labelled Turkey's offer to deploy troops to the war-wracked country as "unacceptable," saying such a move would amount to unwanted meddling in the internal affairs of a sovereign state.
What exactly is going on here? We know that Turkey recently purchased weapon systems from Russia. Yet, in Libya, the two nations are in a proxy war. (I don't buy Russia's denial of mercenaries fighting with Haftar. To me, Russian mercenaries is probably one reason why the LNA is inching closer and closer to Tripoli.)
Back in September 2019, I took this quote from Gulf News, which highlighted some reasons for why Turkey was involving itself in Libya. The main reason revolved around the Muslim Brotherhood and financial contracts in Libya:
If Haftar succeeds in taking Tripoli, Erdogan’s ambitions in the Arab World would be coming to an end, as government troops regain control of most of Syria, and Brotherhood-affiliates are rounded up in Yemen.
A Haftar victory would end Erdogan’s ideological schemes for Libya and terminate the steady arms flow that his proxies have been sending to Sinai. For years, these weapons have made their way into Egypt and reached the hands of the Daesh-affiliated Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis, where they were used to launch attacks against the Egyptian police and armed forces.
In Tripoli itself, Turkey will likely be excluded from all future business contracts with a Haftar-led government and its $23 billion debt to Libya will probably get scrapped. So would the $18 billion worth of contracts, mostly in construction, currently signed with Fayez Al Sarraj. The Turkish leader believes that General Haftar, like Colonel Muammar Gaddafi before him, supports Kurdish national aspirations in Turkey.
The Independent has another argument for Turkey's involvement: energy.
The discovery of large gas reserves in the eastern Mediterranean, around Greece, Cyprus, Egypt and Israel, have left energy-poor Turkey worried, and Moscow knows it.
Now this is me speculating, but I think the issue here is that these countries (Greece/Egypt) that aren't on friendly terms with Turkey could become more wealthy and have greater influence in this region due to these gas reserves. Losing Libya as a potential ally would only weaken Turkey's influence.
To me, the article goes a little off with the following:
The Russians, clearly with Turkey’s support, are upping the game, and trying to dominate both sides of the conflict in Libya, as part of the effort to knock the west out of the country. And so far, the Russian plan is coming up trumps. Now, Erdogan is going to send “air, ground and sea” military support, in addition to Syrian Turkmen mercenaries, to block Haftar’s ambitions, but also to boost Russia’s decisive role in the conflict.
The article attempts to align Russia with Turkey, which might be true, but does so by pointing to what is happening in Libya. The article mentions that the Russians are supporting both the LNA and GNA. And also states that Turkey is supporting the GNA. And all of this is to boost Russia's role in Libya. I just don't get this. If Turkey does send troops to support the GNA, then in all likelihood, Russians will be killings Turks. I'm just not sure how this leads to the thought process that the Russians and Turks are coordinating efforts here. Also, I'm not sure about the base argument that Russia is siding both with the LNA and GNA as The Daily Beast (Sep 12) wrote this about the Russian militia situation in Libya: Another set of documents outline a strategic alternative to boosting the unimpressive field marshal’s [LNA's Haftar] political fortunes—a campaign to help his opponent Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, son of the late dictator Muammar Gaddafi and an international fugitive from charges of crimes against humanity. This quote indicates that the Russians aren't sold on Haftar, but aren't looking to switch to the GNA, but to Gaddafi's son.
Though I have problems with the article, I do think the energy angle is something to consider and how this might be pressuring Turkey to keep their current political influence in the region. Also, it is possible that Russia and Turkey are working together in Libya. I'm just doubtful about that.
Now, I'm focusing on Turkey and Russia, but we also have a situation where NATO allies France and Turkey are on different sides in this conflict -- though one does have to wonder how much Turkey really cares about NATO at this point in time.
No matter the way this plays out, there is currently a lot of international intrigue that is revolving around Libya.
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