Erdogan’s mercenaries attack Sirte despite Cairo Declaration, LNA repels them

Mustafa Kamel

Voices from around the world are expressing the need for a ceasefire in Libya and quickly returning to the negotiating table through the Cairo Declaration and the political initiative launched by Egypt to peacefully solve the Libyan crisis, which was issued by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on June 6 with international and local support. At the same time, there have been calls of incitement by Brotherhood leaders and Turkish support directed to the Government of National Accord (GNA) militias to storm the city of Sirte, just as the militias did with the help of Ankara’s mercenaries in the city of Tarhuna, which could lead to the new peace initiative being aborted and the writing of a new chapter in the conflict.

Sirte

The Libyan National Army (LNA) took control of Sirte in January during a rapid military operation that took only a few hours. LNA spokesman Major General Ahmed al-Mesmari then announced that liberating the city relied on the elements of secrecy and surprise, explaining that the city had become a hotbed for terrorists to attack the oil ports and therefore had to be liberated.

Sirte is of great importance because of its strategic location between Tobruk to the east and Tripoli to the west. It is considered the key to controlling the whole of Libya, as it is the meeting point of Libya’s core regions and is located in one of the country’s most oil-rich regions, close to three major oil ports and wells.

The GNA’s insistence on attacking Sirte comes as a result of the Turkish support it receives, as Ankara has become the public director of military operations, using its latest military technologies and relying on thousands of mercenaries and terrorists. The dangerous mixture of militants, terrorists and mercenaries succeeded in invading western cities and reaching Tarhuna.

Inciting terrorists

The GNA continues its terrorist operations and intransigence, listening to Brotherhood leaders affiliated with the city of Misrata by attacking Sirte, without searching for ways to solve the Libyan crisis. At the same time, Turkey continues to provide support, lavishing the GNA with more mercenaries and Turkish planes, to storm Sirte, as the militias and mercenaries did in Tarhuna. GNA Interior Minister Fathi Bashagha claimed that the GNA forces would recover Sirte, stressing that they will not allow Sirte to be under any authority except the authority of the GNA.

Mercenaries loyal to the GNA launched an attack on Sirte on the night of Saturday, June 6. The LNA was able to thwart the Ankara-supported attack, confirming in a statement on Monday, June 8 that the LNA was attacking and chasing the remnants of the militias, which had suffered huge losses in equipment and lives. The LNA noted that the battle has now moved beyond the administrative borders of Sirte, where air coverage has resulted in nearly 50 GNA-affiliated militants killed, while a large number of militants have also been captured, including Syrian mercenaries, and a large number of military vehicles were destroyed.

Bashagha’s statements came as part of a series of tweets in which he vowed to control Sirte after the GNA militias’ failure of take the city during their attack on Saturday night. He claimed that Sirte will be in the bosom of the country under the umbrella of legitimacy and that they will not waste the blood of the revolutionaries from 2011. Bashagha’s tweets are part of an attack by Misrata and Brotherhood leaders against GNA Deputy Prime Minister Ahmed Maiteeq over him supposedly requesting the attack on Sirte be stopped.