LIBYA
Murky role of foreign states in Libya
July 25, 2019 - The fighting in Libya between self-proclaimed Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar’s Libyan National Army (LNA) and the Government of National Accord has drawn foreign powers into a proxy conflict on Europe’s southern border.
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The Government of National Accord (GNA), led by Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj in Tripoli, is recognized by the United Nations, European Union, and ostensibly the U.S. State Department. While the GNA is mostly powerless, it can rely on the support of Misrata’s powerful militias, backed and armed by Qatar and Turkey. The UN Security Council imposed an arms embargo on Libya in 2011.
In the east, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Russia and France back warlord Haftar. In a surprise move, U.S. President Donald Trump has also shifted support to Haftar.
During an April 2019 visit to the White House, Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi reportedly spoke to Trump at length about the need to support Haftar. Trump responded by making a surprise phone call to Haftar backing his newly-launched military offensive on Libya’s capital city of Tripoli. Washington replied to questions from the GNA’s Deputy Prime Minister, Ahmed Maiteeq, saying the U.S. is seeking a political solution.
Haftar’s April offensive on Tripoli followed his visit to Riyadh for a meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The assault allegedly followed Saudi pledges of financial support for the operation.
Haftar’s Libyan National Army comprises of a 7,000-strong army nucleus and 12,000 militia members. The NLA boasts two mechanized infantry brigades, a tank brigade, three artillery brigades, a special forces brigade and about a hundred smaller units.
The LNA Air Force has around 27 fighter-bombers in its fleet: 22 Russian MiGs, three SU-22s and two Mirage F1s, seven Mi-24/35 helicopter gunships and 14 Mi-8/14/17 transport helicopters, mostly supplied by Egypt and the UAE. Both backers and Russia provide technical support and spare parts.
Mercenaries from CIA-linked security company Frontier Services Group (formally Blackwater) have also been fighting on the side of Haftar’s forces, according to London-based Middle East Eye.