Generational Dynamics World View

[John J. Xenakis]

** 18-Apr-2019 World View: France blamed for supporting Hafter as Libya war worsens

As I reported in the past, Khalifa Haftar (Hiftar), head of the
government in eastern Libya, has led his Libyan National Army (LNA)
west to attack Libya's other government, the UN-recognised Government
of National Accord (GNA) in Tripoli, led by Prime Minister Fayez
al-Serraj.

The attack was launched on April 4, and at this point, hundreds of
people have been killed, and tens of thousands have been displaced
from their homes, and the numbers are increasing rapidly.

Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have been
accused of supplying weapons to Haftar. Turkey and Qatar have been
accused of supplying weapons to Tripoli government.

France is also being accused of switching sides and supplying weapons
to Haftar. According to some reports, France's government has decided
that a successful coup by Haftar, making him a dictator like Muammar
Gaddafi, would be the best way to restore stability to Libya. This
is a view also held by the governments of Egypt and UAE.

A spokesman for France's government denies the allegation:

Quote: "As we have already stated on several occasions:
France supports the legitimate government of Prime Minister (Fayez
al-)Sarraj and the mediation of the UN for an inclusive political
solution in Libya.

Furthermore, the president's legitimate interlocutor is Prime
Minister Sarraj, with whom the president spoke on Monday to
reaffirm this support."

Nonetheless, Libya's Interior Ministry on Thursday accused France of
supporting Haftar and said it would halt cooperation with France
in any bilaterial security agreements.

Besides the fact that this might spiral into a much larger war (though
that seems less likely now than in the past), there are some
other major issues:

• There are some 700,000 migrants from Syria, Somalia, Ethiopia,
  Eritrea, and other African countries, who have made their way to
  northern Libya in the hope of crossing the Mediterranean to reach
  Europe. Thousands of them are in detention centers in Tripoli, thanks
  to an agreement made between Italy and Libyan warlords. The United
  Nations has already moved 150 refugees from a detention center to
  another camp to escape the war. If the chaos in northern Libya
  worsens, then those migrants will once again try to flood across the
  Mediterranean.
  
  
  
• Since Haftar has moved his army from the east, west
  toward Tripoli, ISIS has been filling the vacuum in eastern
  Libya, killing and displacing civilians in Benghazi and Sirte.
  ISIS was defeated in 2016, but since has been rebuilding itself,
  and is now poised to take advantage of the war in the west
  to regain territory in the east.

--- Sources:


-- Western allies add fuel to Libya's fire with alleged military
shipments to warlord
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world...72606.html
(Independent, London)


-- Libya death toll rises to 205 as Tripoli fighting continues: WHO
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/04/l...12223.html
(Al-Jazeera)

-- Libya’s UN-backed govt accuses France of supporting Haftar, ends
cooperation
https://www.france24.com/en/20190418-lib...ar-warrant
(France 24)

-- France wants Haftar to rule Libya
https://www.libyaobserver.ly/inbrief/fra...rule-libya
(Libya Obsrver, 14-Apr-2019)

-- Armed group attacks air base in southern Libya held by Haftar
-officials
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/201904...officials/
(Middle East Monitor)

-- Libya / Haftar has clearly been given the green light to conquer
Tripoli
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/201904...r-tripoli/
(Middle East Monitor)

-- Libya / Algeria / Sudan / Tunisia / Arab Spring 2.0
https://www.dailysabah.com/columns/hilal...-spring-20
(Daily Sabah, Turkey)

-- African, Syrian migrants in crosshairs of Libya war
https://af.reuters.com/article/commoditi...FL8N21R47N
(Reuters, 11-Apr-2019)

-- Violence in Libya Could Give IS Renewed Opportunities
https://www.voanews.com/a/violence-in-li...71069.html
(VOA, 10-Apr-2019)