Sarraj’s forces counter attack from National Salvation government

Libyan forces loyal to internationally-recognized National Accordance government of Fayez Al Sarraj revealed that they managed to counter the attack launched by National Salvation government of Khalifa Al Ghoweil against a number of areas in the Libyan capital of Tripoli. According to sources, the attack led to the killing of 52 militants.

For a second day running, there have been clashes in Tripoli between anti- and nominally pro-Presidency Council (PC) forces. Explosions occure in the southern district of Swani and there were reports of fresh clashes on the Airport Road and in Abu Sleem.

After yesterday’s failure by the anti-PC alliance to take over the area around Abu Sleem plus its loss of the Hadba prison and the Salahedeen area to Haithem Tajouri’s Tripoli Revolutionaries’ Brigade together with the fact that Ramadan started today, it was thought that it would accept defeat for the moment and take a pause, if only to reconsider tactics. Indeed, there were reports that the alliance’s principal commander, one-time member of the former General National Congress Salah Badi, had gone back to his home city of Misrata. However, reports today indicated he was still in the capital attempting to re-establish his position.

Earlier, Hashem Bishr, one of the four commanders of the forces ostensibly supporting the PC, announced that 52 of their fighters had died by 2.00am Saturday morning putting down the offensive launched by Badi’s Fakhr Libya (Pride of Libya) alliance. He added that ‘dozens’ had been injured.

The health ministry, though, put the figure at 47 dead and 183 injured. On the other side, sources in Misrata say that 14 men from the city were killed. However, other Fakhr Libya casualties remain unknown.

In addition to Misratan fighters directly under Badi’s command and those in the Salah Al-Burki Brigade, the Fakhr Libya operation includes the Kani Brigade from Tarhouna, part of the Abu Obeida forces from Zawia and, reportedly, a unit from Gharyan.

Gharryan municipal council, however, last night denied that forces from the mountain town were involved in the attempted putsch. Despite the loss of Salahadeen and the Hadba prison, Fakhr Libya remains in control of the southern Tripoli suburbs near Tripoli International Airport, including Gasr Ben Ghashir and Wadi Rabie.

Meanwhile, Tripoli’s central hospital launched an emergency appeal for medical staff to immediately come and help. Nurses were in particular demand. In a statement about the fighting in Tripoli, the UN Security Council has deplored it, saying that the Libyan crisis could not be resolved “militarily”.

On the political side, The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has said how much it deplores the continuing violence in Libya and its effect on the civilian population. It has also expressed its grave concern at the increase in the smuggling of migrants through the country.  In the last three days the International Organisation for Migration has said that around 10,000 people have left Libyan shores.

The UN welcomed Presidency Council (PC) head Faiez Serraj’s condemnation of the escalation in the fighting in the south and applauded his investigation into the Brak Al-Shatti massacre.  It also noted with approval the condemnations of the massacre by other Libyan political institutions.

It also censured the violence in Tripoli which broke out yesterday and it once more called on all parties to exercise restraint. It repeated its view that there could be no military solution and urged everyone involved to express their support for national reconciliation.

Libyan stakeholders should get on with their job of creating unified state institutions, including national security forces under appropriate civilian control. They should then unite to fight terrorism.

The Security Council also repeated how gravely concerned it was at the increase in migrant smuggling off the Libyan coast and deplored the resulting tragedies, not least on 24 May  which resulted in dozens of casualties. It extended its deepest condolences to all those affected and their families.

The UNSC members ended by repeating that they fully supported the work of UNSMIL and also the Libyan Political Agreement (LPA) but did not on this occasion mention the Presidency Council (PC) and the Government of National Accord (GNA).

Source: Timesofoman