The balance of power in Libya is shifting. General Turkey's troops have been retreating in part since Turkey joined the oil-rich country. The government rejects his proposal for a ceasefire. The coastal town of Sirte is once again a battleground.
Cairo / Tripoli (AP) - In Libya, even after General Chalifa Haftar's troops have partially withdrawn and his pledge for a ceasefire, there are no signs of a rapid end to the fighting.
The government of Egypt indirectly rejected the Egyptian proposal that a ceasefire should apply to the civil war country from Monday morning. The militias allied with it continued to advance towards the strategically important coastal city of Sirte, which Haftar's troops had captured during their offensive in January.
Hatter's spokesman Ahmed Al-Mismari also said his troops would continue to operate since the government rejected the ceasefire. He accused Turkey of intervening in Libya with the aim of trying to occupy and control the country.
14 months after their attack on the capital Tripoli began, Haftar's self-proclaimed "Libyan National Army" (LNA) has lost important areas. Troops from the internationally recognized government of Prime Minister Fajis al-Sarradsch were able to push them back with the help of Turkey, which is increasingly intervening militarily in Libya with combat drones, air defense systems and soldiers. Haftar, on the other hand, receives support from Russia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates.
Al-Sarradsch had already indirectly rejected the proposed ceasefire. To the commander of allied militias, he said of their attack on Sirte: "We will continue the path paved with offerings." The fighters were on Monday, according to eyewitness accounts, about 30 kilometers west of Sirte, which is halfway between Tripoli and Benghazi on the Mediterranean.
Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi announced the ceasefire and political initiative to resolve the conflict on Saturday after a meeting with Haftar. However, no representative of the Sarradsch government was present. Among other things, the United Nations, the United States and Germany were confident that talks on the future of Libya could continue. All attempts to mediate in the conflict have so far been unsuccessful.
Chancellor Angela Merkel said in an interview with the Egyptian president that she supported the ceasefire efforts, government spokesman Steffen Seibert said. Negotiations under the aegis of the United Nations should be the central point of reference for the peace process in Libya. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also spoke to US President Donald Trump on the subject of Libya. After the talks about Libya, Turkey and the US could start a "new era", Erdogan said without giving any details. He also wanted to speak to Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin.
Russia, on the side of Haftar, welcomed Egypt's proposal. The Foreign Ministry in Moscow said that it was a "solid basis for long overdue negotiations." Most recently, Russia's leadership had once again sought contact with the parties to the conflict. Al-Sarradsch is reported to have traveled to Moscow over the weekend - but a meeting with Putin is not planned, according to his spokesman. Putin also called Al-Sisi on the phone, according to information from Moscow.
It is not unexpected that Russia is so active in Libya: Moscow wants to expand its influence in the region and is trying to do so with diplomacy and military aid. Other countries in the Middle East can hardly compete with Russian interests. Putin also wants to use his influence on Haftar to build pressure on the West, which only plays a minor role in Libya. It is also suspected that Russia wants to recover promised energy, military and infrastructure contracts worth billions that Moscow escaped in the fall of long-term ruler Muammar al-Gaddafi in 2011.
Egypt, as a direct neighbor, also has its own interests in Libya. President Al-Sisi wants to reduce the influence of Islamist groups that support the Sarraj government in Libya. In addition, Cairo is concerned about security at the 1200 km long shared border. Terrorist attacks occurred several times in the barren desert area.
Turkey in turn wants to prevent Egypt and the Emirates from gaining influence in Libya. Ankara sees both countries as regional opponents. However, Turkey is also concerned with interests in the energy sector: its support for the government in Tripoli is closely linked to the hope of energy reserves in the Mediterranean.
The fact that the 76-year-old general is not a strong political or military leader has matured among Haftar's supporters, the news site Mada Masr quoted an Egyptian government official. "But Haftar will not be asked to go to the door in front of Sarradsch. Haftar and Sarradsch will have to get out at the same time." Al-Sarradsch said Thursday that all of Tripoli was under government control again. According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the fighting has displaced more than 16,000 people in the area within 24 hours.
The allies of the Sarradsch government are continuing their offensive on Sirte with Turkish support. A family of seven was killed in an attack in the city, including women and children, Mayor Muchtar Al-Madani told the dpa. "Nobody is left," says Al-Madani.