Government of National Accord - The African Mirror

Feb

2021

Libya power brokers welcome accord

LIBYA’S parallel eastern administration has welcomed the announcement of a new interim government to unite the country but added it would only cede power if the eastern-based parliament approved. Yesterday’s qualified statement of support - leaving scope to oppose the move later - illustrates the challenges that may face U.N.-led efforts to find a political solution to a decade of chaos, division and violence. Libya has been split between east and west since 2014, with the internationally recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) in Tripoli, and a rival administration in Benghazi backed by Khalifa Haftar's eastern-based Libyan National Army (LNA).…

Dec

2020

By The African Mirror

Turkey warns Libya’s Haftar and supporters against attacking its forces

NEWS

TURKISH Defence Minister Hulusi Akar has warned that the forces of Khalifa Haftar and their supporters based in eastern Libya would be viewed as "legitimate targets" if they attempted to attack Turkish forces in the region. Turkey is the main foreign backer of Libya's internationally recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) based in Tripoli, which for years has been fighting Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA). The LNA is backed by Russia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt. In October, the GNA and LNA signed a ceasefire agreement and the United Nations has been pushing a political dialogue aimed at elections…

Dec

2020

By The African Mirror

Eastern Libyan force says it intercepted Turkish ship

NEWS

EASTERN-BASED Libyan forces have intercepted a Turkish ship under a Jamaican flag heading to the port of Misrata in western Libya, their spokesman has said, a possible new flashpoint in the conflict after weeks of truce. Turkey is the main foreign backer of the internationally recognised Government of National Accord (GNA), in the west, which has for years been fighting the eastern-based Libyan National Army (LNA). LNA spokesman Ahmed al-Mismari added that the commercial cargo ship, Mabrouka, had 17 crew, including nine Turkish nationals, and containers that had not yet been inspected. LNA naval forces stopped it near the eastern…

Oct

2020

By The African Mirror

Scarred by war but home at last, two Libyan families pray for peace

HUMAN RIGHTS

LIBYA’S warring armies have agreed a ceasefire and, years after being forced to flee for their lives, the Bouzids and the Alis are finally back at home. Like many on opposite sides of the front lines, the two families have lost loved ones and seen their livelihoods and dreams destroyed by nearly a decade of conflict. But while daunting obstacles still stand in the way of a lasting political settlement, the Bouzids are slowly repairing their own small corner of the country, the ransacked south Tripoli farm they returned to after fighting in the area ended in June. "Dad, Mum…

Oct

2020

By The African Mirror

Warring Libya rivals sign truce but tough political talks ahead

NEWS

LIBYA’S warring factions have signed a permanent ceasefire agreement, but any lasting end to years of chaos and bloodshed will require wider agreement among myriad armed groups and the outside powers that support them. Acting United Nations envoy Stephanie Williams said the ceasefire would start immediately and all foreign fighters must quit Libya within three months. Forces would withdraw from front lines and a new joint police force would secure those areas. As a first commercial passenger flight in more than a year crossed front lines from Tripoli to the eastern city of Benghazi on Friday, Williams noted Libya's "fraught"…

Oct

2020

By The African Mirror

EU removes Libya’s powerbroker Saleh from sanctions list

NEWS

THE European Union has removed an east Libyan powerbroker from its sanctions blacklist to encourage peace efforts and ensure the EU plays a central role in any negotiated settlement in Libya. Aguila Saleh, leader of a rival parliament in eastern Libya, no longer faces EU travel bans and asset freezes imposed four years ago, the EU said, confirming a Reuters report on September 9 that the so-called de-listing was planned. "The de-listing of speaker Saleh was agreed in light of his recent constructive engagement in support of a negotiated political solution to the Libyan crisis," an EU statement said. After…

Sep

2020

By The African Mirror

Libyan interior minister restored to post after talks

NEWS

LIBYA’S internationally recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) on Thursday restored the interior minister to his post after announcing his suspension last week following protests over living conditions. Fathi Bashagha said in a statement posted online that he had been reinstated after a five-hour hearing about the protests and the role of the security forces. An influential figure from the port city and military power base of Misrata, Bashagha is well regarded by the GNA's foreign backers and played a central role as it repelled a 14-month assault on Tripoli by eastern-based forces. However, there have been longstanding tensions between…

Aug

2020

By The African Mirror

East Libyan forces dismiss ceasefire push by rivals

NEWS

THE eastern-based Libyan National Army (LNA) dismissed a ceasefire announcement by authorities in the capital, Tripoli, as a marketing stunt, saying rival forces were mobilising around front lines in the centre of the country. Its spokesman, Ahmed Mismari, said the LNA was ready to respond to any attempted attack on its positions around the coastal city of Sirte, and Jufra, to the south. Mismari's comments were the first by the LNA after the announcement on Friday of a ceasefire and a call for the resumption of oil production by Fayez al-Sarraj, who heads the Government of National Accord (GNA) in…

Aug

2020

By The African Mirror

Libya’s rival authorities announce ceasefire

NEWS

LIBYA’S internationally recognised government in Tripoli announced a ceasefire and the leader of a rival parliament in eastern Libya also appealed for a halt to hostilities. The statements offered hope for a de-escalation of a conflict that has wracked the country since a 2011 uprising, displacing hundreds of thousands, slashing oil production, and opening space for migrant smugglers and militants. However, previous efforts to secure lasting ceasefires have stalled, and political leaders hold limited sway over armed groups in two broad factions that have been largely split between the west and east of Libya since 2014. The Tripoli-based Government of…

Jul

2020

By The African Mirror

Libyans face painful power cuts as years of chaos hit grid

NEWS

WARFARE has stopped - for now - in the Libyan capital, but long power blackouts caused by years of poor maintenance still cause misery in the scorching summer weather. The blackouts have led to protests, and armed men storming electricity facilities to demand engineers bring back power, underscoring continued instability even after an assault by eastern forces on Tripoli ended last month. Conflict continues, fought between the internationally recognised Government of National Accord (GNA), backed by Turkey, and the eastern-based Libyan National Army (LNA) backed by the United Arab Emirates, Russia and Egypt. The LNA assault on Tripoli added to…