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US calls for withdrawal of Russian, Turkish forces from Libya
[AlAhram] The UN estimates there are some 20,000 foreign troops and mercenaries in Libya helping the warring factions: the UN-recognized Government of National Accord in 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... and Khalifa Haftar ...Self-proclaimed Field Marshal, 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, so it's kind of hard to describe him as a Qadaffy holdover. 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. Actually, he is, but slowly... ’s Libyan National Army forces in the east. The United States on Thursday called for the immediate withdrawal of Russian and "We call on all external parties, to include Russia,  ...just another cheapjack Moslem dictatorship, brought to you by the Moslem Brüderbund...and the UAE, to respect Libyan illusory sovereignty and immediately cease all military intervention in Libya," the acting US ambassador Richard Mills said during a UN Security Council meeting on Libya, which has seen a decade of fighting since the overthrow of Moamer Qadaffy. Under a UN-backed ceasefire signed October 23, foreign troops and mercenaries were to pull out of Libya within three months. That deadline passed on Saturday with no movement announced or observed on the ground. "Per the October ceasefire agreement we call on Turkey and Russia to immediately initiate the withdrawal of their forces from the country and the removal of the foreign mercenaries and military proxies that they have recruited, financed, deployed and supported in Libya," said Mills. The GNA has received military support from Turkey while LNA has the backing of the United Arab Emirates and Egypt as well as Russia. Related: Government of National Accord: 2021-01-24 10 More Bodies Found in Libya Mass Grave Government of National Accord: 2020-12-28 Top Egypt officials visit Libya capital for first time in years Government of National Accord: 2020-12-28 Turkey warns Libya's Haftar and supporters against attacking its forces Related: Libyan National Army: 2020-12-28 Top Egypt officials visit Libya capital for first time in years Libyan National Army: 2020-12-28 Turkey warns Libya's Haftar and supporters against attacking its forces Libyan National Army: 2020-12-17 Libyan Army Confirms Commitment to International Agreements Posted by: trailing wife 2021-01-29 |
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