Erdogan's mercenaries attack Sirte despite Cairo Declaration, LNA repels them
Voices from around the world are expressing the need for a
ceasefire in Libya and quickly returning to the negotiating table through the
Cairo Declaration and the political initiative launched by Egypt to peacefully solve
the Libyan crisis, which was issued by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on
June 6 with international and local support. At the same time, there have been calls
of incitement by Brotherhood leaders and Turkish support directed to the Government
of National Accord (GNA) militias to storm the city of Sirte, just as the
militias did with the help of Ankara’s mercenaries in the city of Tarhuna,
which could lead to the new peace initiative being aborted and the writing of a
new chapter in the conflict.
Sirte
The Libyan National Army (LNA) took control of Sirte in
January during a rapid military operation that took only a few hours. LNA
spokesman Major General Ahmed al-Mesmari then announced that liberating the
city relied on the elements of secrecy and surprise, explaining that the city
had become a hotbed for terrorists to attack the oil ports and therefore had to
be liberated.
Sirte is of great importance because of its strategic
location between Tobruk to the east and Tripoli to the west. It is considered
the key to controlling the whole of Libya, as it is the meeting point of
Libya’s core regions and is located in one of the country’s most oil-rich regions,
close to three major oil ports and wells.
The GNA’s insistence on attacking Sirte comes as a result of
the Turkish support it receives, as Ankara has become the public director of
military operations, using its latest military technologies and relying on
thousands of mercenaries and terrorists. The dangerous mixture of militants,
terrorists and mercenaries succeeded in invading western cities and reaching
Tarhuna.
Inciting terrorists
The GNA continues its terrorist operations and
intransigence, listening to Brotherhood leaders affiliated with the city of
Misrata by attacking Sirte, without searching for ways to solve the Libyan
crisis. At the same time, Turkey continues to provide support, lavishing the
GNA with more mercenaries and Turkish planes, to storm Sirte, as the militias
and mercenaries did in Tarhuna. GNA Interior Minister Fathi Bashagha claimed
that the GNA forces would recover Sirte, stressing that they will not allow
Sirte to be under any authority except the authority of the GNA.
Mercenaries loyal to the GNA launched an attack on Sirte on
the night of Saturday, June 6. The LNA was able to thwart the Ankara-supported
attack, confirming in a statement on Monday, June 8 that the LNA was attacking
and chasing the remnants of the militias, which had suffered huge losses in
equipment and lives. The LNA noted that the battle has now moved beyond the
administrative borders of Sirte, where air coverage has resulted in nearly 50
GNA-affiliated militants killed, while a large number of militants have also
been captured, including Syrian mercenaries, and a large number of military
vehicles were destroyed.
Bashagha’s statements came as part of a series of tweets in
which he vowed to control Sirte after the GNA militias’ failure of take the
city during their attack on Saturday night. He claimed that Sirte will be in
the bosom of the country under the umbrella of legitimacy and that they will
not waste the blood of the revolutionaries from 2011. Bashagha’s tweets are
part of an attack by Misrata and Brotherhood leaders against GNA Deputy Prime
Minister Ahmed Maiteeq over him supposedly requesting the attack on Sirte be
stopped.
