haftar stresses need for confronting illegal migration
Friday 21 March 2025
Last Updated : GMT 09:40:38
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle

As Sabratha battles continue

Haftar stresses need for confronting illegal migration

Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle

Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicleHaftar stresses need for confronting illegal migration

Khalifa Hafter
Tripoli - Fatima Al Saadawy

Khalifa Hafter has said that his Libyan National Army (LNA) can help stop the flow of illegal migrants from across the southern borders heading north to travel on to Europe, but needs military equipment from Europe to do the job.

“For the control of borders in South, I can provide manpower, but Europeans must send aid: drones, helicopters, night vision goggles, vehicles”, he said in an interview with Italian national daily Corriere della Sera while in Rome earlier this week for talks with the Italian government.

He indicated that the visit had opened a new chapter in relations with Italy. The two sides, he said, had clarified their positions to the satisfaction of the other.

“It was necessary and was very useful to smooth out many mutual misunderstandings,” he explained, noting that he had had talks with Italian defence minister Roberta Pinotti, interior minister Marco Minniti, chief of defence General Claudio Graziano and the head of intelligence. The meetings had been about more than making decision, he said; the two sides had explained their positions and their views.

He also revealed that he and the Italians had talked about what he said was a common commitment to the fight terrorism. In relation to both this and stopping the migrant flows, there had to be an end to the arms embargo, he insisted. With an apparent eye on the fact that Italy is currently a member of the UN Security Council, he explained that while he appreciated that Italy had to uphold the embargo, it had to be revoked.

“For a long time I’ve asked that this embargo should be annulled in regard to our national army.” All European countries interested in stopping migrants should support its withdrawal, he said. Hafter also noted that defence minister Pinotti had already agreed training programmes for Libyan soldiers in Italy, expecting this to be widened and extended.

As to Libya’s political crisis, he said that a political solution would be the best answer but military solutions could not be ruled out. “It’s obvious that we prefer the political routes, but when these don’t work there must be other solutions,” he said, noting that terrorists in Libya had been defeated “not through diplomatic channels but with weapons”.

In the interview he was also particularly critical of moves by Italy and others to use militias that had been involved in smuggling to now stop it.

“Tomorrow they will fight among themselves for a share of the spoils; it will be a never-ending blackmail,” he said, referring to the current fighting in Sabratha between the Anti-IS Operations Rooam and the Amu Brigade which had been involved in smuggling and many of whose members had been incorporated into the Presidency Council’s army as part of the 48th Battalion. Italy has denied reports that it paid it €5 million to act as a local anti-smuggling police force.

On the military side, Sabratha remains quiet but still tense today with just occasional shots reportedly being fired in the town. Large parts are in the hands of the Anti-IS Operations Room (AIOR), which yesterday extended its control by seizing the famous Sabratha Roman ruins, a UNESCO world heritage site. There are worrying reports of damage to the ruins.

Many fighters in the opposing 48th Battalion, which includes the Amu Brigade led by Ahmed Dabashi, are reported to have been forced to withdraw, east to Sorman and west to the Mellitah Oil and Gas complex.

Meanwhile, negotiations to secure a permanent ceasefire have continued although Sabratha Media Centre, which supports the 48th Battalion, today reported that the Operations Room had again rejected a deal. Other reports, however, say that the negotiations brokered by elders from a number of Libyan towns, are focussed simply on ensuring that the 48th stays outside Sabratha.

For its part AIOR reported today that one of its members who had been wounded and in an ambulance heading to Tripoli had been seized by a new group that has entered the fray. This is the “Security and Stability Operations Room” set up on Tuesday by Abu Obeida Al-Zawi, the militant Islamist commander from Zawia. It claims to be a neutral force to ensure a cease-fire but is widely seen as reinforcements for the Amu brigade.

AIOR said that the seizure of the man, named as Ziad Turki, was proof that the new force and Amu were partners. There continue to be numerous calls for an end to the fighting in Sabratha. The head of the town’s military council, Taher Al-Gharbali, has again demanded the Presidency Council’s government of national accord (GNA) order a ceasefire, saying that at that point his forces would take on anyone who broke it.

Prince Idris Al-Senussi has also called on the GNA as well as UN special envoy Ghassan Salamé to take action to end the conflict in Sabratha. Humanitarian aid including medicines and food, had to be provided, roads reopened and electricity and drinking water reconnected for the 100,000 people living in the town and surrounding area, he said. These were ordinary Libyans who were suffering through no fault of their own, he said, and they needed the active support of the authorities.

themuslimchronicle
themuslimchronicle

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

haftar stresses need for confronting illegal migration haftar stresses need for confronting illegal migration

 



Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle

GMT 11:03 2016 Sunday ,10 April

Spieth holds firm, Langer steals the show

GMT 06:18 2017 Saturday ,01 April

Audi R8 voted ‘Best Super Sports Car’

GMT 04:49 2017 Monday ,10 April

London finance chief upbeat after Brexit trigger

GMT 10:41 2018 Friday ,05 January

Celtics rout Cavaliers as idle Thomas gets ovation

GMT 11:43 2017 Thursday ,17 August

Malala wins place at Oxford University

GMT 20:30 2017 Monday ,24 April

Bahrain weather forecast

GMT 09:10 2017 Sunday ,10 December

France to allow trading of securities

GMT 09:33 2017 Friday ,22 September

US CEO sees bonus pay cut after ugly rant

GMT 11:11 2017 Thursday ,13 April

NZ Rugby likens Sonny Bill flak to homophobia

GMT 09:17 2015 Saturday ,27 June

Nissan to launch new Patrol Black Edition new cars

GMT 05:38 2015 Friday ,18 September

CNN: 22.9m watched Republican debate

GMT 22:52 2011 Tuesday ,13 December

First look inside Lindsay Lohan\'s nude Playboy shoot

GMT 09:12 2015 Wednesday ,25 February

A Yemen divided

GMT 10:44 2017 Wednesday ,28 June

Kirkuk and the Kurdish referendum

GMT 03:08 2017 Sunday ,19 February

Oman’s municipal elections on December 25

GMT 12:04 2012 Tuesday ,30 October

Assad finally acknowledges the Syrian people

GMT 21:26 2017 Wednesday ,12 April

Czech amb.: tourist programs to Egypt up

GMT 12:11 2013 Monday ,16 December

Opel Cascada Turbo
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
 
 Themuslimchronicle Facebook,themuslimchronicle facebook  Themuslimchronicle Twitter,themuslimchronicle twitter Themuslimchronicle Rss,themuslimchronicle rss  Themuslimchronicle Youtube,themuslimchronicle youtube  Themuslimchronicle Youtube,themuslimchronicle youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2025 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2025 ©

muslimchronicle muslimchronicle muslimchronicle muslimchronicle
themuslimchronicle themuslimchronicle themuslimchronicle
themuslimchronicle
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle