GNA seeks help of international community against LNA

Sarah Rashad

While battles are being fought between the Libyan National Army (LNA) and armed militias in the Libyan capital Tripoli, there is a parallel international battle also being fought by the parties that is inseparable from what is happening inside Libya. Since the beginning of the LNA’s Tufan al-Karama operation on April 4 to liberate Tripoli, the Government of National Accord (GNA), which controls the capital and is supported by the militias, has sought for an international resolution to be issued condemning the movements of the LNA towards the capital.

Despite the telephone call announced by the White House between US President Donald Trump and LNA commander Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar on Monday, April 16 to reveal US approval for the LNA’s movements, a statement issued by the GNA included an attempt to incite the UN Security Council and the world against the LNA.

In the statement, the Foreign Ministry of the GNA asked the Security Council to set up a UN fact-finding committee to investigate alleged “violations” carried out by the LNA.

According to the statement published by the information office of the head of Libya’s Presidential Council on Facebook, the GNA gave incorrect details to persuade the Security Council to respond to its request, claiming that the LNA forces are using children in their ranks, especially hit residential areas.

The LNA responded by asserting that the GNA is targeting civilians and then blames the LNA to maim its reputation in local and international circles.

The GNA has addressed the international community several times seeking a statement condemning the movements of the LNA, but the international community’s own divisions have been a handicap, making countries such as France and Russia intervene to prevent the issuance of any resolution condemning the movements of the LNA.

The operation continues

Britain, Italy, Turkey and Qatar stand with the GNA. They have tried to issue an international declaration condemning the LNA; however, France, Russia and the United States have recently thwarted these attempts.

Washington and Moscow have both opposed Britain’s bid in the UN Security Council to demand a ceasefire in Libya.

Observers in Libya are suspicious of Britain’s position, wondering why London is supporting armed terrorist entities in Libya.

Besides the British attempts to gain international condemnation of the LNA, there are also domestic voices, most of which belong to the extremist Islamist entities, that often call upon the international community to intervene to “rescue” Tripoli.

Failure and shame stalk the GNA

One prominent voice is the former Brotherhood member and the head of Libya’s High Council of State Khaled al-Mishri, who in his last remarks attacked the countries supporting the LNA, accusing the army of attempting to sabotage Tripoli, similar to Benghazi.

Libyan researcher Abdel Basset Ben Hamel said that international failure is stalking the GNA, especially after the Trump-Haftar call, as Washington understands that the LNA is facing terrorism.

Libyan observers believe that the LNA has succeeded in resolving the international battle in its favor, in contrast to the failure of the GNA to have a resolution issued condemning the LNA despite more than twenty days having passed since the start of hostilities. Observers view the unified position between the United States and Russia in favor of the LNA as an exceptional case that does not occur with most international issues, as the two countries rarely agree.

Since the launch of the LNA’s extensive military operation to liberate Tripoli from the militias controlling the Libyan capital, Islamists and their militias have been trying to incite the international community against the LNA. The Islamists fear the LNA will take control of the capital, meaning they will lose the influence they have built over the years since the fall of the former Libyan regime.