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On January 9th, Libyan National Army’s (LNA) commander Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar rejected the ceasefire proposed by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The two leaders met on January 8th and agreed on a ceasefire that was supposed to begin on January 12th.
In a statement, read by LNA spokesperson Brig. Gen. Ahmad al-Mesmari said that the LNA welcomed the ceasefire proposal by Russia and Turkey, but would continue the siege on Tripoli.
“We welcome [Russian President Vladimir] Putin’s call for a ceasefire. However, our fight against terrorist organizations that seized Tripoli and received support of some countries will continue until the end,” al-Mesmari said in a video.
بيان هام من القيادة العامة للقوات المسلحة العربية الليبية بخصوص المبادرة الروسية
Posted by الناطق الرسمي باسم القيادة العامة للقوات المسلحة العربية الليبية on Thursday, January 9, 2020
The entire statement reads the following:
“Although we welcome the initiative of His Excellency President Vladimir Putin, the friendly and head of the Russian Federation, aimed at establishing peace and stability in Libya, which is the goal and task of the Armed Forces of the Libyan Arab States.
We confirm the following:
The armed forces continue their efforts in their war against terrorist groups classified in decisions of the United Nations Security Council, which have proven in their own experience that it is impossible to create a civilian state, except by eliminating these groups, since they have captured the capital of Tripoli and receive support from some countries and governments that provide them with military equipment, ammunition and various weapons.
In addition to this, they receive unmanned attack aircraft, as well as the transporting of a large number of terrorists from around the world to fight against the armed forces and against the Libyan people.
Achieving stability and security and responding to the demands of democratic change and the resumption of the political process and agreeing on a national project for the equitable distribution of Libyan wealth without exception or marginalization.
Therefore, the militia must be dismantled and disarmed, and this is a national and international requirement that leads to the implementation of new security measures in the capital Tripoli, which leads to the creation of a security environment with which the Talk about an effective political process that leads to the formation of a government that will have the will and ability to carry out their decisions in all parts of the country.”
Leader of the UN-assigned Government of National Accord Fayez al-Sarraj announced that they accepted the call for ceasefire.
“The statements by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding the Libyan crisis and attack against the capital are welcomed by the High Council,” it said in a statement.
The High Council of State, which advises the GNA, said it will support all kinds of initiatives that address the welfare of Libyans and are aimed at ending the war.
The statement also noted that any call for dialogue should remain tied to the Libyan Political Agreement signed in the city of Suheyrat in Morocco.
The ceasefire proposed by Russia and Turkey is indicative of two things:
- Russia, which could be considered as a party that supports the LNA has reached some sort of agreement with Turkey, which very openly supports the GNA, mostly because it was promised maritime border revisions and spreading its influence and drilling activities in the Eastern Mediterranean.
- Turkey’s capabilities in Libya are quite limited and it can’t really mount an effective offensive, or defensive operation for that matter, against the LNA, despite it attempting to deploy in the militants it backs from Libya, in addition to military advisers, experts, electronic warfare equipment and so on.
This is quite showing for Turkey’s actual motivations to involve itself in the Libyan conflict, and it also confirms earlier estimations that limit its capability to influence it heavily and sway it to the GNA’s side, there’s no suitable conditions for a full-scale invasion, mostly due to the part of the country controlled by the LNA, the position of Tunisia and Algeria, as well as Egypt’s strong antagonism of any large-scale Turkey involvement.
Turkey’s agreement is also jeopardized, as France, Greece, Egypt and Cyprus announced Turkey’s agreement with the GNA as illegal in terms of international law. Turkey maintains that it is within international law and it is as per its rights, since according to Turkish officials there is a “plot” to limit Ankara’s influence in the Eastern Mediterranean.
وزير خارجية فرنسا من تونس: الاتفاق التركي مع السراج خارج عن الشرعية الدولية #العربية_عاجل https://t.co/a1vIGVFnOW
— العربية عاجل (@AlArabiya_Brk) January 9, 2020
On the ground in Libya, the LNA appears to still be making progress. After taking control of Sirte, it is making progress from the eastern side of Tripoli and has put Al-Wushka under its control.
بالفيديو
قواتكم المسلحة تسيطر على منطقة #الوشكة و تفند ما يروّج له المدونين التابعين للميليشيات بأن منطقة الوشكة تحت سيطرتهم #ليبيا pic.twitter.com/uO7ns4wik8— MOHAMMED MAHJOOB (@M_MAHJOOB32) January 9, 2020
Turkish-made Kipri vehicles were seized from the GNA in southern Tripoli.
#الجيش_الليبي يستحوذ علي احدي المدرعات التركية التابعة لميليشيات #الوفاق pic.twitter.com/5gyS9EdeoS
— Omar Hatem (@omar_hatem1) January 9, 2020
Weapons are being continuously discovered and seized in Sirte, and progress is being made towards Misrata, which is one of the last remaining strongholds of the militias fighting on behalf of the GNA.
weapons and vehicles were seized by #LNA units in #Sirte #Libya – including two 9K32M Strela-2M MANPADs pic.twitter.com/mel92AfLUC
— Mohamed Mansour ?? (@Mansourtalk) January 9, 2020
LNA forces advance west of Sirt towards Misrata. #Libya pic.twitter.com/uiKwuTn8h3
— LibyaReview (@LibyaReview) January 9, 2020
It appears that the GNA is proving to be incapable against the renewed impetus of the LNA’s offensive that began anew on December 12th, Turkey’s involvement shows little change and it appears Ankara is admitting that by attempting to salvage its deal with the GNA by proposing a lasting ceasefire.
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i would reject it too, im so sick of putin and erdogan doing these ceasefires and sick of putin always sucking up to him
Mr Assd.with out Mr putin help your dictator finished long ago. don’t be ungrateful to your boss
Because ISISRAEL and US are always targeting/bullying weaker targets. Of course Syria would have fallen if Russia did not intervene. Look what happened to Libya. Without Russia’s intervention US supposed 4 week topple of Gadaffi took them 7 months. The only dictators are Israel and US that think they can dictate their fake democracy unto the world.
I don’t think Putin is helping Assad
he only plays if Nato attacks against Assad Putin is not going to help he talks only to defend against Assad but Putin will not stop Nato
Putin is playing Erdogan who is “agreement incapable”, apt description.
I think they play each other
Abdul Malik Houthis is better than Putin
Putin is OK, there’s a lot of Russian Jews in Israel so that’s why he doesn’t allow Syria to use the S-300 against Zionist planes, but besides that he’s a good leader
Putin just play same game just as USANATO.Testing weapons in war torn country.Prolong war in Syria in Idlib through illegal ceasefire and want to apply that tactic in Libya with terrorists sponsoring Erdogan to fullfill Turkstream initiative.Libya national resources cannot be share with Turkey like Syrian oil with USA and resources and land with Turkey. Through Astana de-escalation agrement with USA and Turkey behind closed doors.
I fully support Haftar’s rejection and really cannot comprehend why both Putin and Erdogon would want one either. Unless of course this was nothing more than a window dressing exercise, with both knowing it would be rejected. Russia support Haftar and the LNA while Erdogan supports the GNA and is using them to dispose of unwanted headchoppers from Syria. Stick to the plan, ‘get the headchoppers out of Idlib and send them to Hell from Libya.
I’ve seen a tweet where FSA commanders are offering $100 to each mercenary who finds and refers someone else willing to Libya. it seems that the terrorists know they are being sent to an inevitable death and nobody is willing to go anymore.
Of course he rejected it, if they didn’t they’d be total idiots. It’s clear as day that this is a turkish attempt to buy themselves more time to deploy more terrorists and equipment to aid the GNA (which is currently losing). LNA is currently winning (though not as fast as it should be) so they gave to push their advantage now as much as possible.
As for Putin being in those negotiations, well we can argue that it’s simply because it’s expected of him to at least pretend to want to deescalate but he won’t actually pressure the LNA into a ceasefire that would be hurtful to their cause.
Logical if LNA stops, GNA will gain time to regroup with the reinforcements from Syrian front.
Only you Turks wont get your ceasefire.. Haftar is no puppet.
Bad luck Mehmet.
I think the decision of commander Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar to reject the ceasefire proposed by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is a very wise strategy taking into consideration the results from the establishment of the de-militarize zone in Idlib of Syria .Turkey has supplied armed groups occupying Syria’s Idlib with anti-aircraft missiles, the Russian news agency Sputnik claimed in a new report released on June 14 /2019.
“Turkey’s support for armed the groups has begun to take a new turn recently, it is characterized by providing them with advanced weaponry, such as TOW and Kornet [anti-tank guided] missiles, in addition to man-portable air-defense systems [MANPADs],” Bassel Shartuh, Sputnik’s reporter in Hama, said in the report.
Isn’t Serraj still LNA’s hostage? Why was he released!! Gentlemanly behaviour by Russia again??