AFRICOM denies being given strikes in southern Libya
Saturday 16/February/2019 - 12:09 PM
Sarah Rashad
A spokesman for the presidential council of the Libyan government, Mohammed
Salak, attributed on Thursday the bombing of Ubari city, south of Libya, last
Wednesday, to AFRICOM forces in the US, saying in a Tweet that the strike
signified cooperation between the reconciliation government and the US in the
face of terrorism. The press office of AFRICOM, meanwhile, denied all of
Salak’s statements, saying that AFRICOM's forces did not launch any attacks in
Libya yesterday.
The denial of US troops in Africa embarrassed the reconciliation government, as
it appeared to cover up military action in the south.
The media windows of Khalifa Haftar, the military commander of the armed
forces, dealt with the news with irony. It had dealt with it as if the
reconciliation government tried to claim a raid by AFRICOM in order to cover up
the successes of the Libyan army in the south.
Since mid-January, Khalifa Haftar has been holding a military operation in the
south to purge the remnants of the defeated militias in the north.
The Libyan researcher, Fatima Ghandour, told the Reference that the southern
region has become a site hosting all the escapees of militias, explaining that
the Libyan geography in the south caused the transformation of the south into a
point of gathering terrorists.
She referred to the presence of the Chadian opposition in southern Libya,
pointing out that they are mercenaries working against their state, and in
return for money against Libyan security.
In the context of political upheaval, the reconciliation government announced
its refusal to move the Libyan army in the south, rejecting the military action
there.
Analysts have explained this position that Al-Wefaq fears that the influence of
its traditional rival Hafer will expand.
