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| Africa North |
| 24 Dead, 146 Hurt as Libya ex-Rebel Chief Battles Benghazi Islamists |
| 2014-05-17 |
| [AnNahar] Libyan forces loyal to a rogue general, vowing to flush "terrorists" out of Benghazi, clashed with former rebel Islamist groups in the eastern city Friday, killing 24 people and wounding some 150. The violence in what was the cradle of Libya's 2011 revolution comes weeks after the government acknowledged for the first time the existence of "terrorist groups" in the country and said it was mobilizing against them. Authorities have been avoiding a full-blown confrontation with the heavily armed ex-rebels who have bastions in Benghazi and other eastern regions, until they can bolster the army and police. The festivities erupted after a group led by Khalifa Haftar, a retired general who led ground forces in the 2011 uprising that toppled strongman Muammar Qadaffy ...The late megalomaniac dictator of Libya, admired everywhere for his garish costumes, funny hats, harem of cutie bodyguards, and incoherent ravings. As far as is known, he is the only person who's ever declared jihad on Switzerland... , pounded a barracks of the "February 17 Brigade", witnesses said. Warplanes backed up the attack on the Islamists who responded with anti-aircraft fire. The two groups also fought pitched battles in Sidi Fradj, south of Benghazi, an Agence La Belle France Presse journalist said, and witnesses said Haftar's men seized the headquarters of Rafallah al-Sahati militia. Medical sources at Al-Marj hospital, east of the city, where Haftar's casualties were taken, said four bodies and 70 maimed were brought in. Benghazi hospitals gave a toll of 16 dead and 49 maimed, without identifying them. And al-Abyar hospital south of the restive city said it took in four bodies and 27 maimed. The fighting subsided in the afternoon, an AFP journalist said, as witnesses reported that Haftar's forces were pulling back south to Sidi Fradj. Haftar heads a group calling itself the "National Army" which launched "a large-scale operation to flush turbans out of Benghazi", said a front man, Mohammed al-Hijazi. "This is not a civil war. It's an operation against terrorist groups," said Hijazi, who like Haftar was a former officer in Qadaffy's army before defecting. Libya's armed forces chief of staff, Abdessalam Jadallah al-Salihin, denied any army involvement in the Benghazi festivities. "The (regular) army has nothing to do with the festivities. The army did not give any orders for any sort of operation" in Benghazi, he said. Salihin admitted, nevertheless, that some officers and units from the regular army had joined Haftar's group. Prime Minister Abdullah al-Thani denounced Haftar's forces as "outlaws" and told a news conference in Tripoli ...a confusing city, one end of which is located in Lebanon and the other end of which is the capital of Libya. Its chief distinction is being mentioned in the Marine Hymn... that the army was "in control on the ground", urging restraint in Benghazi. As the fighting raged, Algeria closed its embassy and consulate in Tripoli, saying it had received a "real and imminent threat" to its diplomats and staff. The foreign ministry in Algiers said the decision, which comes after a wave of abductions and attacks targeting foreign diplomats, was taken in coordination with Libyan authorities. There was no mention of the violence in Benghazi. But the festivities in the Mediterranean city underscore the government's struggle to rein in former rebels who helped topple Qadaffy nearly three years ago. The city has been rocked by almost daily attacks that have killed dozens of members of the security forces, judges and foreigners. There have been no claims of responsibility but Islamists have been blamed for the bloodshed. In March, the government issued a statement blaming "terrorists" for dozens of deadly attacks and vowed to eradicate these groups. Its pledge came after Haftar, in a video posted on the Internet, announced an "initiative" under which the interim government and parliament would be suspended in preparation for elections. That video sparked rumors on social media that a coup might be in the offing. The government, which has come in for criticism for failing to defeat lawlessness in Libya, was quick to quash the rumors and insist it was in control. Weeks later it declared a "war against terrorism". However, the difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits... no concrete measures have been taken. Attacks against the army have spurred rustics, soldiers and some ex-rebels to join forces with Haftar against the jihadists. |
| Posted by:trailing wife |
| #3 Sounds like some have had enough, finally. Have to keep on eye on this during the following weeks to see if it's just bad on bad, or some people with actually sense fighting back against Queada. |
| Posted by: Charles 2014-05-17 11:26 |
| #2 Arab Spring II |
| Posted by: Frank G 2014-05-17 09:35 |
| #1 Here's a tip: leave egress routes back to Egypt and the sea. |
| Posted by: Pappy 2014-05-17 08:52 |