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Africa North

Sirte falls to Haftar's forces, thanks to a Madkhali brigade from the inside

2020-01-07

[Libya Observer] Khalifa Haftar

...Self-proclaimed Field Marshal, served in the Libyan army under Muammar Qadaffy, and took part in the coup that brought Qadaffy to power in 1969. He became a prisoner of war in Chad in 1987. While held prisoner, he and his fellow officers formed a group hoping to overthrow Qadaffy, so it's kind of hard to describe him as a Qadaffy holdover. He was released around 1990 in a deal with the United States government and spent nearly two decades in the United States, gaining US citizenship. In 1993, while living in the United States, he was convicted in absentia of crimes against the Jamahiriya and sentenced to death. Haftar held a senior position in the anti-Qadaffy forces in the 2011 Libyan Civil War. In 2014 he was commander of the Libyan Army when the General National Congress (GNC) refused to give up power in accordance with its term of office. Haftar launched a campaign against the GNC and its Islamic fundamentalist allies. His campaign allowed elections to take place to replace the GNC, but then developed into a civil war. Guess you can't win them all...
's forces, backed by former Qadaffy brigades, said they had seized control of most areas in Sirte after brief festivities with Sirte Protection and Security Force units, which pulled out after being abandoned by Brigade 604 - a Madkhali force that was formed after the city was freed from ISIS in 2016.

For weeks, Haftar's forces have been launching sporadic attacks on Sirte with several air attacks by UAE drones, which caused several deaths from the Sirte Protection and Security Force.

Sirte Protection and Security Force sources said their force was betrayed by Brigade 604, whose personnel are mostly from Sirte and tasked with securing their city from the inside.

The sources added that most of the city is now under the control of Haftar's forces and former Qadaffy brigades, except for some neighborhoods in which few brigades are trying to repel the rest of the attack.

With an air cover, Haftar's forces advanced Monday on Sirte from eastern and southern frontlines before 604 Brigade gave them the green light to advance from inside the city, thus forcing Sirte Protection and Security Force brigades to retreat allowing Haftar's forces to enter the city without fighting.

Qadaffy's hometown Sirte is still with the Qadaffy regime of Libya and that made it give the city to ISIS without any resistance as most forces of Evil were previous Qadaffy brigades' personnel.

Madkhali-Salafist Brigade 604 is made mostly from Sirte locals. It didn't take part in the fighting against ISIS. The brigade was formed to secure the city and it angered Sirte Protection and Security Force at the time, citing distrust in the personnel for their Salafist ideology that is linked to Soddy Arabia
...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual hajj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. When the oil runs out the rest of the world is going to kick sand in the Soddy national face...
, which is backing up Haftar.

Posted by:Fred

#3 An ass loaded with gold can step over the highest fortress wall?

Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2020-01-07 10:41

#2 civil war is not really about which brand of Islam to use

its ethnic, tribal and about oil

btw, during the Ottoman rule, what is now Libya was divided into administrative states with Tripoli being one and Bengazi another

Sirte is near the western edge of Bengazi control and the eastern edge of Tripoli control

Posted by: lord garth 2020-01-07 08:35

#1 I'm confused. Haftar is backed by Salafists but the GNC are the Islamic fundamentalists? What sect is more fundamentalist?

Posted by: Mercutio 2020-01-07 07:03

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