[Libya Herald] The head of Misrata’s Third Force based in Sebha, Jamal Treiki, has spurned a demand from the Khalifa Hafter’s Libyan National Army (LNA) that it withdraw from the south.Earlier this week, the LNA’s Colonel Mohammed Ben Nayel said that the Third Force, first sent to Sebha to try and keep the peace there three years ago, had to evacuate the entire region.
The demand followed Nayel’s peaceful takeover three weeks ago of the Brak al-Shatti airbase from the Third Force, which had effectively given it up.
Just two days ago, however, there was fighting at the Gwirat al-Maal checkpoint 17 kilometres north of Sebha as Nayel’s men, said to be a mix of Magarha and Qaddadfa members plus Tebus and members of Sudan’s Darfur rebel Justice and Equality Movement, tried to seize it from the Third Force.
Both sides currently claim to hold it.
The checkpoint is important as it is just a few kilometres from Tamenhint airbase.
There are fears of an impending LNA operation to smash the Third Force in the south carried out in tandem with an attack on the strategically important Jufra airbase, 330 kilometres to the north and also held by the Misratans.
For many years during the Qadaffy era Jufra was the country’s main military base. It can control all movement east, south and west.
Following Monday’s