Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Prime Minister of Libya's UN-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) Farrej al-Sarraj announced on Wednesday his intention to step down, prompting a flurry of speculation about his reasons for doing so, as well as fears that his resignation could cause further turbulence in a country racked by nearly a decade of chaos.

Almost five years after he was appointed head of the Tripoli-based GNA, Fayez al-Sarraj threw in the towel on Wednesday. The Libyan prime minister said in a short televised address that he plans to leave office before the end of October to make way for a replacement...

Libya has been in chaos since dictator Muammar Gaddafi was overthrown in 2011. Over the past year, the GNA has gained the upper hand over military strongman Khalifa Haftar's Libyan National Army - with Turkish military and technological support crucial in turning the tide, especially through the supply of drones.

Another possible explanation for Sarrej's resignation, Phares said, is that it was a matter of him bowing to pressure from recent wave of protests over deteriorating living conditions in Libya...

From Misrata, the strategically located city whose militias played a crucial role in the defence of Tripoli, Bashagha has often been described as Ankara's man in Libya. Tellingly, he was greeted by some 300 militiaman in a show of force at Tripoli airport when he returned from a trip to Turkey in late August...

...the political tussle for control of the country has heated up since the GNA repulsed Haftar's offensive on Tripoli in June.

Sarrej and Haftar met for diplomatic talks in Switzerland and Morocco earlier in September - but any political turbulence provoked by Sarrej's resignation risks disrupting this spirit of dialogue between Libya's two rival governments.
UN-backed Libyan PM Sarraj's mysterious resignation announcement | Friday, September 18, 2020 | Marc Daou | France 24

8 posted on 09/19/2020 11:20:46 AM PDT by SunkenCiv (Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager imagining managing an imaginary menagerie.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies ]


There's a new Muslim Brotherhood warlord who is ignoring the GNA figurehead leader and continues war with the LNA. That's probably the reason for the resignation.
The representative of the forces of the Government of the National Accord in Libya (GNA), Squadron Leader Mohammad Qanunu, announced that he will continue his military operations until the liberation of all cities nationwide, thus ignoring the ceasefire agreement announced by the Prime Minister Fayez Al-Sarraj, according to Pentapostagma.

In a tweet on his official Twitter account, Qanunu said:"We will never trust the announcement of a new ceasefire or truce, as we have seen many previous breaches and breaches."

The spokesman confirmed,"We are determined to continue our military operations in order to legally defend ourselves, to attack threatening greenhouses and to stop the development of illegal groups in the country."

He stressed that they will continue to liberate all the conquered cities, to face the injustice suffered by their inhabitants and to restore state authority.

The spokesman added:"The Libyan state -- exclusively -- has the right to use its resources, to manage its wealth, to export oil and to take a hard line against those who seek to starve the Libyan people and plunder its natural resources."

The situation in Libya is escalating after the announcements for the creation of a large naval base from Turkey and Qatar in Misrata, which will become their base in the Mediterranean against Greece and Egypt.

Haftar's military forces are moving against Misrata

Faraj Dardar, who is presented by the Brotherhood channels as a"political analyst and researcher", said that there is currently a large military mobilization of Haftar forces on the borders of the areas of Sirte and Al Joufra, because the target of these forces is to reach the city of Misrata and occupy it.

Dardour claimed in a telephone interview with the Turkish channel TRT that the attempted attack by Haftar's armed forces was aimed at invading the city of Misrata, as it is an old and modern permanent target for the Libyan general.

The reason is simple and concerns the position of the city with its port which is the"key" for the control of the whole region, while at the same time"looking" at the Mediterranean. Hundreds of its defenders have been killed in previous battles and the city is inhabited by Turkish-born Libyans.

The expert of the Libyan Muslim Brotherhood stressed that everyone knows that the city of Misrata is the"thorn" that stands behind the LNA forces, because from there the"Haftar militias"are in danger.

Faraj Dardar claimed that the occupation of Misrata would remain a long-term dream, because if LNA forces could enter it, they would not have been defeated in Tripoli, Tarhouna and Al Trawan.

He stressed that the European Union is under great pressure from France, because the war against Tripoli resulted in heavy civilian casualties and many violations.

Expert defense analysts estimate the scenario of"bombing" by unknown fighter jets in the evening hours, it is possible in the near future, especially after the announcement of Turks, Qataris and Libyans of Tripoli about control of the Mediterranean with a naval base.

After all, the same scenario is being implemented at the Al Vatiya air base, which is bombed every three or so times by"unknown fighters", since new Turkish-made anti-aircraft systems were first installed there.

At the same time, the head of the Tripoli government, Al-Sarraj, allegedly announced an immediate ceasefire throughout Libya, on the condition that Sirte and Al Joufra be demilitarized at the behest of Ankara, which by the way demands exactly the same for all the Greek islands adjacent to the coasts of Asia Minor, home to 100,000 Aegean soldiers.

Turkey demands and behaves arrogantly throughout the Mediterranean as if it owns the region, which shows the very difficult situation of the Turkish government and Erdogan, who has opened so many fronts, which of course he can not close.

It should be reminded here that General Haftar has not yet mentioned anything about the"agreed"ceasefire between Saraj and Saleh, perhaps implying his disagreement with a"truce" on such terms.
Libya war: Ink hasn't dried yet -- 'We will destroy Haftar', LNA is moving towards Misrata | Freeway | 3 weeks ago | YouTube
Libya war: Ink hasn't dried yet -- 'We will destroy Haftar', LNA is moving towards Misrata | Freeway | 3 weeks ago | YouTube

49 posted on 09/20/2020 7:25:58 AM PDT by SunkenCiv (Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager imagining managing an imaginary menagerie.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson