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After capturing the al-Watiya airbase, the Government of National Accord’s (GNA) forces are moving towards Tarhuna to attempt and capture the key forward stronghold of Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar’s forces.
On May 21st, the GNA took complete control of the town of al-Asaba, which provided a corridor for the GNA between Tarhuna and al-Watiya.
عاجل ?
كما نشرت بوابة الشقيقة بالكامل تحت سيطرة بركان الغضب مع التحام ثوار المشاشية .. pic.twitter.com/P7iYYEk02W
— AbdulGhani AlHamrouni ?? (@AbdulGhaniLibya) May 21, 2020
Since then, the GNA has been carrying out airstrikes and drone strikes on Tarhuna.
Two Turkish UAVs were downed above Tarhuna by the LNA.
#عاجل
"للمرة الثانية خلال ساعتين إسقاط طائرة تركية مسيرة بالقرب من ترهونة من قبل دفاعات الجو التابعة للقوات المسلحة العربية الليبية"— بنت المختار (@dodycat42) May 21, 2020
The battle of Tarhuna is expected to be significant, since the LNA is withdrawing large quantities of heavy weapons from Qasr bin Ghashir, which is just south of Tripoli towards Tarhuna in order to repel the incoming siege.
سحب كميات من السلاح الثقيل من قصر بن غشير باتجاه ترهونة، بجانب انسحاب عدة مجموعات من منطقة القصر والوجهة ترهونة.
— le Fils de la liberté (@mahmoud_zwi) May 21, 2020
The GNA also took control of the city of Muzdah, which is further south, but if it now continues eastward and captures more towns it would entirely encircle the LNA forces in Tarhuna.
GNA Forces have captured Wamis/Al-Mashashiyah,GNA Forces are advancing on the desert road that leads to Al-Rujban and Al-Zintan from the South,looks GNA will reach Al-Zintan Airport from the South,from the Desert
— ثائر سوري (@VivaRevolt) May 21, 2020
Despite the vows of the “largest aerial campaign” by the LNA, nothing of the sort has happened, there were a few airstrikes on GNA positions in Tripoli, as well as east of Misrata, but nothing significant.
In that manner, a MiG-29 was detected on the ground far south from Tarhuna and Tripoli, but whether it is only 1 remains unknown.
MiG-29 on the ground at al-Jufrah, 19 May 20. Grid: 29.1916, 16.0112 https://t.co/62By0rSZMC pic.twitter.com/k1Fw7HePOA
— Brian Castner (@Brian_Castner) May 21, 2020
It appears that the GNA is also pushing eastward towards Sirte, as there’s been numerous reports of air and drone strikes.
#عملية_بركان_الغضب: المتحدث الرسمي باسم الجيش الليبي عقيد طيار محمد قنونو : سلاح الجو نفذ ضربات منطقة مراح بين #الوشكة و #سرت استهدف خلالها آليات مسلحة ونجح في تحييد 12 عنصراً بين قتيل وجريح
— Almanara Libya (@AlmanaraMedia) May 21, 2020
There are heavy clashes, but currently it appears that the LNA is on the back foot and the GNA, with its Turkish support is progressing largely unimpeded. It is expected that the siege of Tarhuna should start shortly.
Turkey is sending more supplies, as a Lockheed C-130B was detecting flying from Istanbul towards Misrata.
Turkish Air Force Lockheed C-130B (?) (callsign TUAF222) from Istanbul in flight south of Crete westbound pic.twitter.com/JVHfsStySe
— ItaMilRadar (@ItaMilRadar) May 21, 2020
The success of the GNA and it’s Turkish supporters are evidenced by the fact that tribal councils are providing written surrender notices without fighting and resisting the armies.
#Libya ??: the local council of al-Urban (east of #Gharyan) has agreed to surrender to the #GNA without a fight as pro-GNA fighter continue to advance on #LNA forces across the region pic.twitter.com/6v8x9b0qgH
— Thomas van Linge (@ThomasVLinge) May 21, 2020
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Does anyone have an idea as to how the hell Haftar is a freakin’ Field Marshal?
How was Rommel a Field Marshal ? Training. Winning or losing is another thing. Realistically the only reason Haftar is on the back foot now is because the Turks have flooded Libya’s airspace with drones. They’ve lost 15 drones. 7 Pantsirs have been destroyed but this narrative that the Pantsir is absolutely useless is a joke. The Pantsir is meant to be used in tandem with other systems like BUK, TOR, S-300/S-400, ground radar stations, satellites, fighter jets, AWACS. By itself there’s only so much it can do, especially an export version.
Crew quality has a lot to do with the effectiveness of any system. That is probably the weak point.
ROMMEL GASSED THE KIKES!
ahahahahaha holy shit ahahahah
if it was real though
Indeed, although I doubt the 7 Pantsir claim as I’ve only seen a few either destroyed or captured. The Turkish claim of 7 Pantsir’s yesterday was the usual BS propaganda we’ve come to expect from them (using old footage and strikes against ordinary trucks).
http://www.lostarmour.info/Libya
17 Turkish drones and 8 Pantsirs since the start of the year.
Realistically the Pantsirs are export versions being operated by unqualified militants. Also the Pantsir is meant to be used along side other systems like Tor, BUK,S-300, ground radar, AWACS, fighter jets, interceptors. satellites. By itself it can only do so much.
He was a major in Qaddafi’s army but got a rapid self-promotion.
15 Turkish drones have been shot down in Libya, 7 Pantsirs destroyed in Libya
http://www.lostarmour.info/libya
And each ottoman drone costs 5 million hmmmm
It’s up to 17 Turkish drones and 8 Pantsirs now.
Your own source says 8 Pantsirs and 3 Bayraktar drones. Did you even read it?
The GNA is backed by NATO and unless Egypt intervenes, which it can not as it is subservient to US, the GNA will win and Turkey and Italy will get the oil. Bad news for Greece.
Nope. This will stay a stalemate.
I doubt Turkey will march against Benghazi.
UAE and Egypt need to put their money where their big mouth is and do something or it is all over for the LNA.
What a fucked up mess.
Time and time again it shows, that against Erdogan you have to act 100%. Such a brazen psychopath wont be stopped by stupid diplomatic pseudo “peace initiatives”, or deals.
He only understands force. So just like in Idlib, either you are moving as aggressive, without waiting time for unrealistic deals, or you get another turkish occupation zone.
EU also again has shown its impotence and naivitee in the face of Erdogan. Now sooner or later Lybia will be even more a hub of Jihadis and illegal immigrants threatening the national security not only of nothern Afrcian but also Europen countries. And Erdogan will be able to use his deal with GNA to claim control of a huge part of the mediterianian, which has at least as huge implications.
So either UAE, Egypt, Russia, Syria, Greece and other EU countries step up their support in the same way as Erdogan, or they will have brought this mess upon themselves for years and likely decades to come.
Erdogan has changed the game in Lybia. Time to agknowledge that, and step up.
The overthrow and cold blooded televised murder of Colonal Kaddafi is now coming to haunt the cabal that wanted Libya’s high quality low sulfur oil. Libya’s tribal socio-economic compact has been shattered beyond repair and with the Turkish invasion assisted Salafist cutthroat Jihadis from Syria, Libya and the region including Tunisia and Egypt are in for a very destabilizing regional conflict.
In my parlance it is called a CLUSTER FUCK of biblical proportions :)
Means?
And the dance of chaos continues. The latest candidate for a laugh track is the Israeli accusation that Iran is illegally supplying weapons to the Zionist Israel and US agent Haftar. He’s winning, he’s losing..as Libya continues down the road of chaos…which precludes any possible peace there. The US and Israeli facade of antagonism with Turkey is not convincing. Russia and Iran are not fooled at all. Why is nothing said about EU supplies of weapons to GNA or UAE supplying Haftar? Hmmm….Possibly the same reason that Yemen is sanctioned against weapons purchases, while KSA continues it’s buying spree from NATO members? Kinda reminds one of the ridiculous sanctions imposed by the west over ‘human rights’ in Iran, as they facilitate the genocide in Yemen perpetrated by UNHR member KSA and enhanced by those that supply them with weapons, intel and mercenaries.
ill bet that Europe wished they have let gaddafi in power, know they got, a refugee crisis swooping euro beaches , slave markets, involved in costly proxy war, New players trying to get the price.
where is largest aerial campaign in Libyan history ?