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Libya PM Calls for Unity behind Anti-IS Sirte Offensive
[An Nahar] The head of Libya's unity government on Tuesday urged Libyans to rally behind forces battling to retake the city of Sirte from the Islamic State...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allaharound with every other sentence, but to hear the pols talk they're not reallyMoslems.... group. Prime minister-designate Fayez al-Sarraj said advances by pro-government fighters in the jihadist group's North African stronghold should be a model for "a national initiative to fight terrorism." "We bless the victories of our sons on the front lines... in the fight to liberate Sirte and cleanse it" of IS, he said in a televised statement released on the Facebook page of the Government of National Accord (GNA). Forces loyal to the U.N.-backed GNA have been fighting since mid-May to oust IS from Sirte, 450 kilometers (280 miles) east of the capital Tripoli ...a confusing city, one end of which is located in Lebanon and the other end of which is the capital of Libya. Its chief distinction is being mentioned in the Marine Hymn... A parallel force based in eastern Libya, including local militias and units of the national army loyal to a controversial general, Khalifa Haftar ... served in the Libyan army under Muammar Qadaffy, and took part in the coup that brought Qadaffy to power in 1969. He became a prisoner of war in Chad in 1987. While held prisoner, he and his fellow officers formed a group hoping to overthrow Qadaffy. He was released around 1990 in a deal with the United States government and spent nearly two decades in the United States, gaining US citizenship. In 1993, while living in the United States, he was convicted in absentia of crimes against the Jamahiriya and sentenced to death. Haftar held a senior position in the anti-Qadaffy forces in the 2011 Libyan Civil War. In 2014 he was commander of the Libyan Army when the General National Congress (GNC) refused to give up power in accordance with its term of office. Haftar launched a campaign against the GNC and its Islamic fundamentalist allies. His campaign allowed elections to take place to replace the GNC, but then developed into a civil war. Guess you can't win them all... , is not taking part in the operation. Pro-government troops, a mix of militias and army units, have taken control of Sirte's port and airport. But their advance slowed at the end of last week as they reached central and northern parts of the city where IS fighters are holed up in residential areas. Pro-government forces announced on Monday that they had seized an IS arms depot, and released a photo showing a room full of ammunition. They also said that the air force had launched six air strikes against IS positions the city. The forces fighting IS in Sirte include gangs from western cities including Misrata, 190 kilometers (120 miles) to the northwest. The Misratan forces are among the best-armed militias in the country and have several MiG fighter jets and attack helicopters. These militias were set up during the 2011 uprising against former strongman Muammar Qadaffy ... who had more funny outfits than Louis XIV... Following the downfall of the regime and Qadaffy's death they kept their weapons and became major military players in the country. A militia set up to guard the country's main oil installations has also been advancing on IS from the east. Last week it took control of several villages and towns including Harawa, 70 kilometers (40 miles) east of Sirte. Posted by: Fred 2016-06-15 |
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