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| Africa North |
| Clashes between Haftar's forces, Third Force erupt nearby Tamnihint airbase, Sabha |
| 2017-04-06 |
| [Libya Observer] Early Wednesday morning, Dignity Operation fighter aircraft started bombing locations around Tamnihint airbase in the southern city of Sabha, according to Jamal al-Treki, the Third Force's commander. Later on, the Third Force, which is appointed to secure the airbase and the entire southern region, engaged in heavy festivities with Pro-Haftar gangs led by Mohammed Ben Nayel - a staunch follower of 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... "We have been clashing with those gangs led by Ben Nayel since the morning and they are using medium and heavy weapons in the vicinity of Tamnihint airbase." Sources from Third Force told local media. "Dignity Operation warplanes are taking off from Barak airbase, some 80 km away from Tamnihint airbase." al-Treki told al-Nabaa TV on Wednesday afternoon. He also stressed that the Haftar-led air force had conducted at least two "I believe that the Presidential Council is a body that is in favor of Haftar and is actually trying to cover for his actions." al-Treki told the local media outlet. |
| Posted by:Fred |