On Wednesday moved Haftars forces, who call themselves the Libyan national army (LNA) and supports the självutropade government in eastern Libya, the west for the stated purpose to ”liberate the motherland from the terrorists”. Forces took control of Gharyan, a city with about 80, 000 residents, after firefights with loyalist forces.
the Government in Tripoli has put the army on high alert, in order to meet the ”all threats”. Loyalist militias in the country’s third largest city Misrata say they are waiting on the order to confront the LNA. Residents testify how the soldiers mobilised to an emergency meeting.
the Fighting represents an unusually sharp escalation of the conflict, which has been ongoing in Libya since dictator Muammar Gaddafi was overthrown in 2011 and the country tudelades. They are also at the same time as the UN secretary-general António Guterres is visiting the country in fredsmäklande purpose. He calls for calm via Twitter:
”There is no military solution. Only internal libyan dialogue to solve the libyan problem.”