Is the U.S. stoking tensions in Libya?

Nahla Abdelmonem

Tensions are rising in Libya, especially after the United States stepped in by calling for creating a demilitarized zone in the Oil Crescent which includes the northern city of Sirte.

The U.S. stayed away from the conflict in Libya for a long time in the past. However, its new demand has increased debates in the North African state.

Libyan National Army (LNA) Spokesman Ahmed al-Mesmari rejected the American demand on August 19.

He said the Oil Crescent is not controlled by terrorist militias, unlike Libyan capital Tripoli.

It is Tripoli that needs to be demilitarized, al-Mesmari said.

He said the LNA is ready for fighting against the Turkish occupation of Libya.

From liberation to disarming

The LNA succeeded in overrunning Sirte in January 2020, following intense battles against terrorist groups backed by the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) which is supported by Turkey and Qatar.

This is why the LNA rejects the disarming of the city.

On June 20, the official spokesman of the Turkish army called for the withdrawal of the LNA from Sirte.

This shows that Ankara has been working to disarm the city for a long time now.

Why is the U.S. stepping in?

GNA Minister of the Interior Fathi Bashagha, who is strongly backed by the Muslim Brotherhood and Turkey, had earlier called on U.S. President Donald Trump to found a military base in Libya.

Bashagha may have wanted the U.S. to offer a cover for Turkey to be able to advance its agenda in Libya.

Pro-Turkish media welcomed Bashagha’s proposal very warmly. It said the GNA interior minister made the proposal following talks between Turkey and the U.S. in this regard.

International unity

The same proposal shows that Ankara wants to form an international coalition to support its agenda in Libya.

Together with this, the head of what is known as the Supreme State Council, Khaled al-Meshri, called on Libyan House of Deputies Speaker, Aguila Saleh, to meet and hammer out a new agreement, out of the mould of the 2015 Skhirat Agreement.

If signed, the new agreement would give the Turkey-backed government in Tripoli renewed legitimacy.