Libyan army prepares to liberate Oil Crescent

Libyan army ended its preparations for restoring the oil fields recently controlled by extremist groups. Spokesperson of the army Ahmed Al Mesmary said, during a press conference, General Command of the army rallied air and ground forces to launch what he described as "the great battle”.

He added that the Libyan air forces will conduct airstrikes in the strongholds of the extremist groups in the area between Sirte and Jaffra. He revealed that civilians and military individuals betrayed them, saying that this treason allowed the militants enter the cities of Sadra and Ras Lanov.

He warned those people who use the thuraya phones, saying that they monitor their phone calls. He stressed that they arrested those who committed treason and those people who support the extremist groups. He threatened the foreign countries that support the extremist groups that they will face economic sanctions in the future.

On the other hand, the official in the Red Crescent in Ajdabiya, Mansour Abdul-Aty, said that the Red Crescent had received thirteen bodies of the fighters of the army of the House of Representatives (HoR) that led by General Khalifa Haftar.

The thirteen fighters killed in the clashes between Haftar’s troops and the forces of Benghazi Defense Brigades at the Oil Crescent Region.

Abdul-Aty said, in a press release, that the Red Crescent team received the bodies in a hospital in Beshr area after an agreement with Haftar’s forces and Benghazi Defense Brigades.

Benghazi Defense Brigades continued advancing in Ras-Lanuf oil port, 150 Km eastern the city of Sirte after attacking Haftar’s forces, on Friday, in the Region. Benghazi Defense Brigades clarified, in a statement, that it is targeting to reach the city of Benghazi.

On the political side, ambassador of U.S, Britain and France to Libya called for implementing cease-fire in the Oil Crescent area, stressing the need for the formation of a unified military force to protect the Libyan people. They called the different conflicting parties for suspending their provocative actions against the employees of the National Institution of Oil.