GNA’s media lies: Poor attempts to stop the progress of the LNA operation

Sarah Rashad

Since the start of the Libyan National Army’s (LNA) Operation Tufan al-Karama to liberate the Libyan capital of Tripoli from the armed militias on April 4, the Government of National Accord (GNA), backed by the armed militias in Tripoli, is trying to distort the image of the operation, instigated by the international community.

On Tuesday night, April 16, the GNA related a new story of incitement and circumvention, which began with news published by its media outlets that residential areas in Tripoli were hit by rocket attacks. The satellite channels and websites attributed the shelling to the LNA, feeding their stories with video clips and footage of nightly bombardments, which it claimed were operations against the people of Tripoli.

The GNA declared a state of mourning for three days for the victims of the bombing, while the State Council, headed by former Muslim Brotherhood member Khaled al-Mashri, called on the UN Security Council to intervene to stop what it considers to be transgressions by the LNA.

In the same context, GNA spokesman Muhannad Younis called on the international community to stop LNA leader Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar.

On Wednesday morning, April 17, the LNA issued a brief statement denying any involvement in the previous day’s bombing in Tripoli, accusing the militias supporting GNA of attempting to embarrass the LNA. The LNA also threatened those involved in the “terrorist” event.

The LNA also revealed that video clips shared by the GNA of the bombing are fabricated and are actually attributed to old military operations in Yemen.

False pages attributed to the LNA publish posts in celebration of striking civilians, the LNA stated, stressing that such pages are fabricated by the GNA to embarrass the LNA. What the GNA promotes on false accounts is a media war used to cover up its defeats, just as when then militias suffer from defeat and resorted to madness and indiscriminate shelling, sacrificing the lives of civilians.

The LNA accused GNA Interior Minister Fathi Bashagha, who is affiliated with militias from Misrata, of being behind this media war, stressing that the international community won’t be mislead and is aware of the fact that armed groups dominate the capital.

Libyan researcher and media figure Abdul Basit bin Hamel said that those who actually fear for the lives of the Libyans should provide them with money rather than channeling billions to support the militias, adding that the fabricated charges against the LNA are similar to those that were directed against late President Muammar Gaddafi.

Since the launch of the LNA’s operation to liberate Tripoli, Islamists and their militias have been trying to incite the international community against it. The Islamists fear that the army will move towards Tripoli and take control of the capital, losing the influence they have gained since the fall of the former Libyan regime.

For this reason, the Islamists, represented by the GNA, call on outside parties such as Qatar and Italy from time to time to wage a media war against the LNA and demand a retreat.