Libya's Benghazi Sees Battles for Control
Source: Al Jazeera
Forces loyal to Khalifa Haftar, a former Libyan general, have relaunched a bid to reclaim Libya’s second city Benghazi from Islamist fighters, amid reports of assistance from Egypt and support from Libya’s recognised government.
Sources told Al Jazeera that gunfire and explosions were heard early on Wednesday and that aircraft belonging to Haftar's forces were striking targets around the eastern city.
Witnesses said tanks and jets had targeted the February 17 Martyrs Brigade, a rival to Haftar's forces which operates in parts of Benghazi.
The group is part of the Shura Council of Benghazi Revolutionaries, a military coalition allied with the al-Qaeda-linked armed group Ansar al-Sharia and control most of the city.
<snip>
Read more: http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/10/libyas-benghazi-sees-battles-control-20141015175237264895.html
Three years after the glorious revolution that we aided, Libya still doesn't have a government. In fact, it has two. The internationally recognized one has been run out of Tripoli, Islamist militias reign in the east and the west.
I have to add that I only found this story from switching to Al Jazeera and RT on the cable after I got bored to death with CNN's monomaniacal ebola coverage.
RT TV is handy, too. Whenever I'm feeling too good about the USA, I just have to turn to RT for a corrective.
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cosmicone
(11,014 posts)Bengazzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzziiiiiiiiiii
Comrade Grumpy
(13,184 posts)I don't think this is what they had in mind. But then, they apparently didn't give much thought to anything beyond getting rid of an old bogeyman.
ieoeja
(9,748 posts)
Fred Sanders
(23,946 posts)is being fought over by these groups and other factions, of which one is being bombed by the Egyptians who overthrew an elected government not so long ago?
How long until the major media take notice and begin fear mongering and war drumming over Libya?
Where is strongarm General when you really need one, I ask?
Comrade Grumpy
(13,184 posts)From the article in the OP:
The fighting came amid unconfirmed reports that Egypt had put its weight behind Haftar's troops in its bid to "liberate" Benghazi.
This clearly shows a direct and blatant interference by the governments of Egypt and the UAE. We hope that the brothers in the UAE and Egypt learn from the previous mistakes and stop meddling in our affairs.
Abdul Rahman Sweihli, Libyan politician
The Associated Press news agency quoted two Egyptian government officials as saying that Egyptian fighter jets were bombing positions of Islamist militias in Benghazi.
The officials, who have firsthand knowledge of the operation, said the use of the aircraft was part of an Egyptian-led operation against the fighters that would at a later stage involve Libyan ground troops recently trained by Egyptian forces, AP said.
Libyan politician Abdul Rahman Sweihli backed the accusations against Egypt, saying that the Libyan air force was not capable of the attacks that Benghazi was witnessing.
"We know very well the limited power of the Libyan air force and we know it is quite impossible for the Libyan air force to shell the city of Benghazi and another areas on a daily basis," Sweihli told Al Jazeera from Tripoli.
"This is way above what they are capable of. This clearly shows a direct and blatant interference by the governments of Egypt and the UAE.
"We hope that the brothers in the UAE and Egypt learn from the previous mistakes and stop meddling in our affairs. We want good relations with everyone and chose dialogue and peace among the Libyans instead of taking sides,"
Fred Sanders
(23,946 posts)because the media is not covering it because of ISIS/Ebola/blame Obama.
