https://www.cnbc.com/2019/04/08/us-pulls-forces-from-libya-as-fighting-approaches-capital.html
US pulls forces from Libya as fighting approaches capital
Published 9 Hours Ago The Associated Press
MAHMUD TURKIA | AFP | Getty Images
Forces loyal to Libya's UN-backed unity government arrive in Tajura, a coastal suburb of the Libyan capital Tripoli, on April 6, 2019, from their base in Misrata.
The United States has temporarily withdrawn some of its forces from Libya due to "security conditions on the ground," a top military official said Sunday as a Libyan commander's forces advanced toward the capital of Tripoli and clashed with rival militias.
A small contingent of American troops has been in Libya in recent years, helping local forces combat Islamic State and al-Qaida militants, as well as protecting diplomatic facilities.
"The security realities on the ground in Libya are growing increasingly complex and unpredictable," said Marine Corps Gen. Thomas Waldhauser, the head of U.S. Africa Command. "Even with an adjustment of the force, we will continue to remain agile in support of existing U.S. strategy."
He did not provide details on the number of U.S. troops that have been withdrawn or how many remain in the country.
Footage circulating online showed two apparent U.S. Navy transport craft maneuvering off a beach in Janzour, east of Tripoli, sending up plumes of spray as American forces were ferried from the shore.
India also evacuated a small contingent of peacekeepers. The Indian foreign minister, Sushma Swaraj, said the country's 15 Central Reserve Police Force peacekeepers were evacuated Saturday from Tripoli because the "situation in Libya has suddenly worsened" and fighting has moved into the capital city.
The self-styled Libyan National Army, led by Field Marshal Khalifa Hifter, launched a surprise offensive against the capital last week, a move that could potentially drag the country back into civil war. Libya has been gripped by unrest since the 2011 uprising that overthrew and killed longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi. In recent years, the country has been governed by rival authorities in the east and in Tripoli, in the west, each backed by various armed groups.
Fayez Sarraj, head of government in Tripoli, accused Hifter of "betraying" him.
"We have extended our hands towards peace, but after the aggression that has taken place on the part of forces belonging to Hifter and his declaration of war against our cities and our capital ... he will find nothing but strength and firmness," al-Sarraj said Saturday in televised comments.
Sarraj and Hifter held talks in Abu Dhabi in late February, their first confirmed meeting since November 2018, when they agreed that national elections were necessary, according to the U.N.
Hifter is seeking to capture the capital and seize military control of the whole country before U.N.-sponsored talks due to start next week that were designed to set a time frame for possible elections in the oil-rich country.
The U.N. envoy for Libya, Ghassan Salame, said the U.N. is determined to hold the planned conference.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged Libyan factions to return to negotiations, saying that "there is no military solution to the Libya conflict."
"We have made clear that we oppose the military offensive by Khalifa Haftar's forces and urge the immediate halt to these military operations against the Libyan capital," Pompeo said in a statement.
Fighting was underway Sunday at the international airport, some 24 kilometers (15 miles) from central Tripoli, after Hifter claimed to have seized the area. The airport was destroyed in a previous bout of militia fighting in 2014. Hifter said his forces had launched airstrikes targeting rival militias on the outskirts of Tripoli.
The rival militias, which are affiliated with a U.N.-backed government in Tripoli, said they had also carried out airstrikes, slowing Hifter's advance.
Armed groups behind the U.N.-backed government of national accord, or GNA, have announced an effort to defend Tripoli, vowing to recapture all areas seized by Hifter's forces.
Col. Mohamed Gnounou, a spokesman for GNA forces, said in televised comments Sunday that the counteroffensive, dubbed "Volcano of Anger," was aimed at "purging all Libyan cities of aggressor and illegitimate forces."
The two sides reported that at least 35 people, including civilians, had been killed since Thursday.
The Health Ministry of the Tripoli-based government said in a statement that at least 21 people, including a physician, were killed and at least 27 wounded. Ahmed al-Mesmari, a spokesman for Hifter's forces, said Saturday that 14 troops had been killed since the offensive began.
The fighting has displaced hundreds of people, the U.N. migration agency said. The U.N. mission to Libya called for a two-hour cease-fire on Sunday in parts of Tripoli to evacuate civilians and the wounded.
The LNA is supported by Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, France and Russia. It answers to the authorities based in eastern Libya, who are at odds with the U.N.-backed government.
https://www.militarytimes.com/flash...ya-amid-rival-militias-fighting-near-capital/
US withdraws troops from Libya amid rival militias fighting near capital
By: Rami Musa, The Associated Press and Samy Magdy, The Associated Press 1 day ago
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A U.S. amphibious hovercraft departs with evacuees from Janzur, west of Tripoli, Libya, Sunday, April 7, 2019. (Mohammed Omar Aburas/AP)
BENGHAZI, Libya — The United States said Sunday it has temporarily withdrawn some of its forces from Libya due to “security conditions on the ground,” as a Libyan military commander’s forces advanced toward the capital, Tripoli, clashing with rival militias.
A small contingent of American troops has been in Libya in recent years helping local forces combat Islamic State and al-Qaida militants, as well as protecting diplomatic facilities.
"The security realities on the ground in Libya are growing increasingly complex and unpredictable," said Marine Corps Gen. Thomas Waldhauser, the head of U.S. Africa Command. "Even with an adjustment of the force, we will continue to remain agile in support of existing U.S. strategy."
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ISIS, al-Qaida ‘regrouping’ in Libya, what’s US strategy? Congress asks
Lawmakers ask experts what the Trump administration's strategy is for the war-torn country.
By: Todd South
He did not provide details on the number of U.S. troops that have been withdrawn or on how many remain inside the country.
Footage circulating online showed two apparent U.S. Navy transport craft maneuvering off a beach in Janzour, east of Tripoli, sending up plumes of spray as American forces were ferried from the shore.
India also evacuated a small contingent of peacekeepers. The Indian foreign minister, Sushma Swaraj, said the country’s 15 Central Reserve Police Force peacekeepers were evacuated Saturday from Tripoli because the “situation in Libya has suddenly worsened” and fighting has moved into the capital city.
“We will continue to monitor conditions on the ground in Libya,” Col. Chris Karns, USAFRICOM’s director of public affairs, told Military Times in an email. "U.S. Africa Command continually assesses the disposition of its forces in Libya. Broad support to counter-terrorism activities represents various capabilities, to include airpower and other options.
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“We still have capability to limit ISIS-Libya’s freedom of movement, constrain its ability to reinforce its fighters, and degrade its command and control,” he said. “The U.S. has demonstrated a resolve toward degrading and disrupting ISIS and other terror groups. U.S. Africa Command conducted six air strikes in 2018 against terrorist organizations in Libya.”
An image grab taken from a video from AFPTV, on Feb. 6, 2019, shows forces loyal to Libyan strongman Khalifa Haftar patrolling in downtown Sebha, the biggest city in southern Libya. (AFP via Getty Images)
The self-styled Libyan National Army, led by Field Marshal Khalifa Hifter, launched a surprise offensive against the capital last week, a move that could potentially drag the country back into civil war. Libya has been gripped by unrest since the 2011 uprising that overthrew and killed long-ruling dictator Moammar Gadhafi, and in recent years has been governed by rival authorities in the east and in Tripoli, in the west, each backed by various armed groups.
Fayez Sarraj, head of government in Tripoli, accused Hifter of "betraying" him.
“We have extended our hands towards peace, but after the aggression that has taken place on the part of forces belonging to Hifter and his declaration of war against our cities and our capital ... he will find nothing but strength and firmness,” al-Sarraj said Saturday in televised comments.
/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-mco.s3.amazonaws.com/public/5KYNYH5L7JAX7HEFJHA7NOTJQY.jpg)
Understaffed AFRICOM cutting hundreds more troops
600 troops total will be cut; AFRICOM hopes to spare ISR, medevac.
By: Tara Copp
Sarraj and Hifter held talks in Abu Dhabi in late February, their first confirmed meeting since November 2018, when they agreed that national elections were necessary, according to the U.N.
Hifter is seeking to capture the capital and seize military control of the whole country before U.N.-sponsored talks due to start next week that were designed to set a time frame for possible elections in the oil-rich country.
The U.N. envoy for Libya, Ghassan Salame, said the U.N. is determined to hold the planned conference.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged Libyan factions to return to negotiations, saying that “there is no military solution to the Libya conflict.”
“We have made clear that we oppose the military offensive by Khalifa Haftar’s forces and urge the immediate halt to these military operations against the Libyan capital,” Pompeo said in a statement.
Fighting was underway Sunday at the international airport, some 24 kilometers (15 miles) from central Tripoli, after Hifter claimed to have seized the area. The airport was destroyed in a previous bout of militia fighting in 2014. Hifter said his forces had launched airstrikes targeting rival militias on the outskirts of Tripoli.
The rival militias, which are affiliated with a U.N.-backed government in Tripoli, said they had also carried out airstrikes, slowing Hifter's advance.
Brig. Ahmed al-Mesmari, spokesman of the self-proclaimed Libyan National Army loyal to Khalifa Hifter, addresses the press in his office in Benghazi on April 4, after declaring preparations were almost complete "to purge the west" of Libya "of terrorists and mercenaries." (Abdullah Doma/AFP via Getty Images)
Armed groups behind the U.N.-backed government of national accord, or GNA, have announced an effort to defend Tripoli, vowing to recapture all areas seized by Hifter's forces.
Col. Mohamed Gnounou, a spokesman for GNA forces, said in televised comments Sunday that the counteroffensive, dubbed "Volcano of Anger," was aimed at "purging all Libyan cities of aggressor and illegitimate forces."
The two sides reported that at least 35 people, including civilians, had been killed since Thursday.
The Interior Ministry of the Tripoli-based government said in a statement that at least nine people, including a physician, were killed. It said at least 55 fighters and a civilian were wounded. Ahmed al-Mesmari, spokesman for Hifter's forces, said Saturday that 14 troops had been killed since the offensive began.
The fighting has displaced hundreds of people, the U.N. migration agency said. The U.N. mission to Libya has called for a two-hour cease-fire on Sunday in parts of Tripoli to evacuate civilians and wounded people.
The LNA is supported by Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, France and Russia. It answers to the authorities based in eastern Libya, who are at odds with the U.N.-backed government.
Magdy reported from Cairo.
https://www.usnews.com/news/politic...-withdraws-from-libya-as-fighting-intensifies
U.S. Withdraws from Libya as Fighting Intensifies
A militia lead by Khalifa Hifter is laying siege to the U.N.-backed government in Tripoli.
By Paul D. Shinkman, Senior National Security Writer April 8, 2019, at 10:48 a.m.
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Libya Descends Into Chaos
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A U.S. amphibious hovercraft prepares to depart with evacuees from Janzur, west of Tripoli, Libya, on April 7, 2019. (Mohammed Omar Aburas/AP)
Violence in Libya threatens to cast the already unstable country into an even more precarious situation, following reports over the weekend that a militant leader's assault on the country's U.N.-backed government forced the U.S. to withdraw troops from the war-torn nation.
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Field Marshal Khalifa Hifter, the commander of the self-proclaimed Libyan National Army, seized the disused international airport outside Tripoli over the weekend while his forces continue to lay siege to the capital city. Hifter said 19 of his soldiers have died in the fighting, while the Health Ministry for the government in Tripoli says fighting there has killed 25 fighters and civilians and wounded 80, Reuters reports.
An internationally backed conference to take place April 14-16 to discuss possible new elections will still take place, the U.N. envoy to Libya said over the weekend.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Sunday the U.S. is "deeply concerned" about the ongoing fighting and called for a de-escalation by all sides.
"There is no military solution to the Libya conflict," Pompeo said in a statement. "A political solution is the only way to unify the country and provide a plan for security, stability and prosperity for all Libyans."
Intense instability began in Libya following the 2011 U.S-led NATO intervention in Libya, ultimately leading to the ouster and public execution of longtime leader Col. Moammar Gadhafi. Control of the country has subsequently fractured among at least hundreds of warring militias, organized roughly in the west around central control of Tripoli and in the east around the city of Benghazi – site of a 2012 uprising that led to the deaths of four Americans, including Ambassador Chris Stevens.
An international coalition has since worked to restore some semblance of governance in the warring country.
The 75-year-old Hifter, once an ally of Gadhafi who was ultimately exiled by him, spent several decades in the United States and holds U.S. citizenship. He is backed by Egypt and the United Arab Emirates and has condemned Islamic extremism and openly stated his intention to overthrow the government in Tripoli.
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In 2016, Hifter met with then-U.S. envoy to Libya Jonathan Winer and told him he intended to overthrow the government and rule by force, personally instituting a democratic system from which he said he would eventually step down. Winer unsuccessfully encouraged Hifter to instead support the U.N.-backed elections, a process Hifter disregarded, saying he would "take over the entire country without anyone else's help."
The top U.S. headquarters for operations in Africa said Sunday that it had withdrawn a contingent of U.S. forces from Libya "in response to security conditions."
"We will continue to monitor the conditions on the ground and assess the feasibility for renewed U.S. military presence, as appropriate," a spokesman for U.S. Africa Command said in a statement.
Marine Corps Gen. Thomas Waldhauser, who leads the command, described the situation as "increasingly complex and unpredictable."
"Even with the adjustment of the force, we will continue to remain agile in support of existing U.S. strategy," he said in a statement.
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In 2016 the U.S. against stepped up its military intervention in Libya to support forces loyal to the newly created Libyan Government of National Accord and combat a pocket of fighters from the Islamic State group who had fled the war in Iraq and Syria to establish a new haven in the port city of Sirte.
Small teams of American commandos deployed on the ground to identify militias with which the U.S. could cooperate and assist them. The Pentagon has declined to say how many are there and where they are operating. In recent years, Libya has become the site of a ramped up U.S. drone campaign.
President Donald Trump has been a longtime critic of the Obama administration's decision to intervene in Libya and subsequent policies to mitigate the resulting violence, though his own views on how the U.S. should respond are unclear. Since 2011 and 2012 he has repeatedly lamented via Twitter that the U.S. had not gone into Libya to "take the oil."
Libya was among the seven predominantly Muslim countries from which the Trump administration banned travel to the U.S. early in his administration – a move that wrought widespread condemnation.
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兵临城下，美军却直接跑了？！
2019-04-08 15:51 美国 /美军 /中国
大家应该还记得8年前的那场“阿拉伯之春”的“民主革命”风潮吧？当时，利比亚的反对派“联盟”，在美国和北约的支持下推翻了卡扎菲政权，而挥舞着感谢北约和美国支持标语的“革命者”们则宣誓他们要在利比亚的土地上建立起一个全新的民主国家。
可尴尬的是，8年过去了，这个当年“阿拉伯之春”中最受关注的国家，不仅仍然动荡不断，如今还陷入了更严重的军事冲突中——甚至还把美国驻军都给吓跑了！
根据多家美国媒体报道，美国驻非洲军队最高司令官托马斯·沃尔德豪泽（Thomas Waldhauser）就表示他已经下令将在利比亚承担外交保护、反恐和改善地区安全的美军士兵从利比亚撤出，因为利比亚首都【的黎波里】的军事危机正越发恶化。
可利比亚究竟发生了，竟能把在全世界“耀武扬威”的美军都给吓跑了呢？
原来，自2011年卡扎菲政府被美国和北约支持的反对派“联盟”推翻后，这个国家并没有走向“民主”道路。卡扎菲被杀后出现的“权力真空”，令那些“心怀鬼胎”且拥有“枪杆子”的“革命者”都想成为这个国家的“皇帝”，这更给了“伊斯兰国”这样的恐怖组织最佳的滋生土壤。
于是，利比亚境内【上千个来自不同派系、不同宗教立场的武装组织】便开始了旷日持久的厮杀，他们的背后更有对利比亚“虎视眈眈”的境外大国希望通过这一场场血腥的“洗牌”树立和巩固自己在该地区的权威与影响力。
可利比亚的民众却因此倒了大霉。比如路透社2017年的报道就指出，持续的动乱令多达60-70万利比亚人“背井离乡”，甚至不惜冒着生命危险越过地中海前往欧洲避难。而在过去这8年里死在战乱中丧生的人更是“不计其数”……
如今，利比亚主要在两股势力的“割据”局面之下。其中一方为联合国和美国等西方国家承认与支持的“利比亚民族团结政府”（GNA），他们控制着首都的黎波里及其周边的区域。
另一派则是来自利比亚大城市班加西并控制了利比亚东部和中部绝大部分地区的军事强人哈里发·哈夫塔尔（Khalifa Haftar），他和他的“利比亚国民军”（LNA）的背后则有埃及、阿联酋的支持。
另外，利比亚南部还有一部分区域则在其他部落和武装组织的控制下。
从上图中大家不难发现，粉色代表的“利比亚国民”军其实已经占据了该国绝大多数的地盘，而浅蓝色表示的“利比亚民族团结政府”则几乎被前者包围。
这也是目前利比亚国内局势面临新一轮恶化的背景因素：军事力量薄弱的“利比亚民族团结政府”希望在联合国和西方的支持下通过“选举”来决定利比亚未来的权力分配，但被一些西方媒体称为“卡扎菲2.0”的哈夫塔尔将军，则打算通过对前者施加强大的军事压力增加自己在联合国、西方以及利比亚预定的“选举”中的筹码——当然，他本人恐怕更倾向于直接攻下首都，从而实现对利比亚的绝对掌控。
而就在上周，原本希望利比亚这场严重的军事冲突可以“和平解决”的联合国秘书长古特雷斯，却未能与哈夫塔尔在利比亚前途的问题上达成一致。这不仅令古特雷斯“心情沉重”地；离开了利比亚，更令该国的局势——尤其是处在哈夫塔尔攻势下的首都的黎波里的危机陡增。
不少西方媒体干脆纷纷宣称又一场“利比亚内战”即将来临了……
可讽刺的是，当美国《纽约时报》等一些美国媒体宣称“美国可以挽救这场危机”的时候，美国驻非洲军队最高司令官托马斯·沃尔德豪泽却下令让美军撤出了利比亚。一段视频就显示，几艘美军的气垫登陆艇正在运送美军士兵离开利比亚，前往美军位于地中海的基地。
视频：
同样滑稽的是，美国CNN还发现这位目前正要对联合国支持的利比亚政府动手的哈夫塔尔将军，还是个“美国公民”，曾在上世纪90年代加入过美国国籍……
▲图为美国CNN的报道：一个美国公民要推翻一个美国政府支持的利比亚政府
最后，作为一个从不去干涉别国内政，也不会害得一个国家落入这般惨状的中国人，耿直哥只希望利比亚民众的苦难能早日结束——毕竟，这样的生活与8年前他们被承诺的“民主自由”的“好日子”，实在是“大相径庭”。
▲图为8年前“革命”后的利比亚民众感谢美国、英国和法国领导人
昨天，一则沙雕新闻吸引了美国媒体的关注
一架载317人从台湾飞往香港客机引擎冒烟紧急迫降
全军最年长将军辞世，37岁任副司令员返回搜狐，查看更多
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Under the soldiers, the US troops ran directly? !
2019-04-08 15:51 United States / US Army / China
Should everyone still remember the "Democratic Revolution" trend of the "Arab Spring" eight years ago? At that time, Libya’s opposition “alliance” overthrew the Gaddafi regime with the support of the United States and NATO, and the “revolutionaries” who thanked NATO and the United States for supporting the slogans swore that they would build up on Libya’s land. A brand new democracy.
What is awkward is that eight years have passed, and the most concerned country in the Arab Spring is not only turbulent, but also now in a more serious military conflict – even scaring the US garrison Now!
According to several US media reports, Thomas Waldhauser, the US Supreme Commander in the African Army, said he had ordered the withdrawal of US soldiers who would undertake diplomatic protection, counter-terrorism and improve regional security in Libya from Libya. Because the military crisis in the Libyan capital [Tripoli] is getting worse.
What happened to Libya? Can you scare away the American troops who are "smart and arrogant" in the world?
It turned out that since the Gaddafi government was overthrown by the opposition "alliance" supported by the United States and NATO in 2011, the country has not moved toward a "democratic" road. The “power vacuum” that emerged after Gaddafi’s murder made those “revolutionaries” who had “ghosts” and possessed “guns” want to be the “emperor” of this country, which gave the “Islamic State” The best breeding ground for terrorist organizations.
As a result, in Libya, [thousands of armed groups from different factions and different religious positions] began a long-lasting killing, and behind them there are even more foreign countries that are eager to see Libya’s “sweeping”. "Build and consolidate your authority and influence in the region."
The people in Libya have fallen into the mold. For example, Reuters reported in 2017 that the ongoing turmoil has caused as many as 600,000 to 700,000 Libyan people to leave their homes, and even risked their lives to cross the Mediterranean to seek refuge in Europe. And those who have died in the war in the past eight years have been "countless"...
Today, Libya is mainly under the "separation" situation of the two forces. One of them is the Libyan National Unity Government (GNA), which is recognized and supported by Western countries such as the United Nations and the United States. They control the capital Tripoli and its surrounding areas.
The other faction is Khalifa Haftar, a military strongman from Bengal, a large city in Libya, who controls most of Libya's eastern and central regions. He and his Libyan National Army (LNA) are behind it. There is support from Egypt and the United Arab Emirates.
In addition, a part of the southern part of Libya is under the control of other tribes and armed groups.
From the above picture, it is not difficult to find that the "Libyan nationals" represented by pink actually occupy the vast majority of the country's territory, and the "Libyan national unity government" expressed in light blue is almost surrounded by the former.
This is also the background factor for the new round of deterioration in Libya's domestic situation: the Libyan National Unity Government, which has weak military strength, hopes to determine Libya's future power distribution through "elections" with the support of the United Nations and the West, but it is being used by some Western media. General Haftar, known as "Gaddafi 2.0", intends to increase his bargaining power in the "elections" scheduled by the United Nations, the West and Libya by exerting strong military pressure on the former. Of course, he may be more inclined The direct capture of the capital, in order to achieve absolute control of Libya.
Just last week, UN Secretary-General Guterres, who had hoped that Libya’s serious military conflict could be “peacefully resolved”, failed to reach an agreement with Haftar’s future in Libya. This not only made Guterres "heavy"; leaving Libya, the crisis in the country, especially the capital of Tripoli under the Haftar offensive, increased sharply.
Many Western media have declared that another "Libya civil war" is coming...
Ironically, when some American media such as the New York Times declared that "the United States can save the crisis," the US Supreme Commander of the African Army, Thomas Waldhaus, ordered the US troops to withdraw from Libya. A video shows that several US military air-cushion landing crafts are carrying US soldiers to leave Libya and head to the US military base in the Mediterranean.
video:
Equally funny, CNN also found that the general manager of Haftar, who is currently working on the Libyan government supported by the United Nations, is a "American citizen" who joined American citizenship in the 1990s...
▲Photo shows CNN report: A US citizen wants to overthrow a Libyan government supported by the US government
Finally, as a Chinese who never interferes in the internal affairs of other countries and does not harm a country into such a terrible situation, Zhi Gang only hopes that the suffering of the Libyan people will end soon – after all, this life is 8 years ago. The "good days" they have promised "democratic freedom" are really "very different."
▲The picture shows the Libyan people after the “revolution” eight years ago thank the leaders of the United States, Britain and France.
Yesterday, a sand sculpture news attracted the attention of the American media.
A 317-person man from Taiwan flew to Hong Kong for a sudden forced landing
The oldest general of the army passed away, and the 37-year-old deputy commander returned to Sohu to see more
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US pulls forces from Libya as fighting approaches capital
- Libya's eastern military leader General Khalifa Haftar has ordered his forces to march into Tripoli, the seat of a rival United Nations-recognized government.
- Fayez Sarraj, who heads the government in Tripoli, has accused Hifter of "betraying" him.
- The United States has temporarily withdrawn some of its forces from Libya due to "security conditions on the ground."
Published 9 Hours Ago The Associated Press
MAHMUD TURKIA | AFP | Getty Images
Forces loyal to Libya's UN-backed unity government arrive in Tajura, a coastal suburb of the Libyan capital Tripoli, on April 6, 2019, from their base in Misrata.
The United States has temporarily withdrawn some of its forces from Libya due to "security conditions on the ground," a top military official said Sunday as a Libyan commander's forces advanced toward the capital of Tripoli and clashed with rival militias.
A small contingent of American troops has been in Libya in recent years, helping local forces combat Islamic State and al-Qaida militants, as well as protecting diplomatic facilities.
"The security realities on the ground in Libya are growing increasingly complex and unpredictable," said Marine Corps Gen. Thomas Waldhauser, the head of U.S. Africa Command. "Even with an adjustment of the force, we will continue to remain agile in support of existing U.S. strategy."
He did not provide details on the number of U.S. troops that have been withdrawn or how many remain in the country.
Footage circulating online showed two apparent U.S. Navy transport craft maneuvering off a beach in Janzour, east of Tripoli, sending up plumes of spray as American forces were ferried from the shore.
India also evacuated a small contingent of peacekeepers. The Indian foreign minister, Sushma Swaraj, said the country's 15 Central Reserve Police Force peacekeepers were evacuated Saturday from Tripoli because the "situation in Libya has suddenly worsened" and fighting has moved into the capital city.
The self-styled Libyan National Army, led by Field Marshal Khalifa Hifter, launched a surprise offensive against the capital last week, a move that could potentially drag the country back into civil war. Libya has been gripped by unrest since the 2011 uprising that overthrew and killed longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi. In recent years, the country has been governed by rival authorities in the east and in Tripoli, in the west, each backed by various armed groups.
Fayez Sarraj, head of government in Tripoli, accused Hifter of "betraying" him.
"We have extended our hands towards peace, but after the aggression that has taken place on the part of forces belonging to Hifter and his declaration of war against our cities and our capital ... he will find nothing but strength and firmness," al-Sarraj said Saturday in televised comments.
Sarraj and Hifter held talks in Abu Dhabi in late February, their first confirmed meeting since November 2018, when they agreed that national elections were necessary, according to the U.N.
Hifter is seeking to capture the capital and seize military control of the whole country before U.N.-sponsored talks due to start next week that were designed to set a time frame for possible elections in the oil-rich country.
The U.N. envoy for Libya, Ghassan Salame, said the U.N. is determined to hold the planned conference.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged Libyan factions to return to negotiations, saying that "there is no military solution to the Libya conflict."
"We have made clear that we oppose the military offensive by Khalifa Haftar's forces and urge the immediate halt to these military operations against the Libyan capital," Pompeo said in a statement.
Fighting was underway Sunday at the international airport, some 24 kilometers (15 miles) from central Tripoli, after Hifter claimed to have seized the area. The airport was destroyed in a previous bout of militia fighting in 2014. Hifter said his forces had launched airstrikes targeting rival militias on the outskirts of Tripoli.
The rival militias, which are affiliated with a U.N.-backed government in Tripoli, said they had also carried out airstrikes, slowing Hifter's advance.
Armed groups behind the U.N.-backed government of national accord, or GNA, have announced an effort to defend Tripoli, vowing to recapture all areas seized by Hifter's forces.
Col. Mohamed Gnounou, a spokesman for GNA forces, said in televised comments Sunday that the counteroffensive, dubbed "Volcano of Anger," was aimed at "purging all Libyan cities of aggressor and illegitimate forces."
The two sides reported that at least 35 people, including civilians, had been killed since Thursday.
The Health Ministry of the Tripoli-based government said in a statement that at least 21 people, including a physician, were killed and at least 27 wounded. Ahmed al-Mesmari, a spokesman for Hifter's forces, said Saturday that 14 troops had been killed since the offensive began.
The fighting has displaced hundreds of people, the U.N. migration agency said. The U.N. mission to Libya called for a two-hour cease-fire on Sunday in parts of Tripoli to evacuate civilians and the wounded.
The LNA is supported by Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, France and Russia. It answers to the authorities based in eastern Libya, who are at odds with the U.N.-backed government.
https://www.militarytimes.com/flash...ya-amid-rival-militias-fighting-near-capital/
US withdraws troops from Libya amid rival militias fighting near capital
By: Rami Musa, The Associated Press and Samy Magdy, The Associated Press 1 day ago
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BENGHAZI, Libya — The United States said Sunday it has temporarily withdrawn some of its forces from Libya due to “security conditions on the ground,” as a Libyan military commander’s forces advanced toward the capital, Tripoli, clashing with rival militias.
A small contingent of American troops has been in Libya in recent years helping local forces combat Islamic State and al-Qaida militants, as well as protecting diplomatic facilities.
"The security realities on the ground in Libya are growing increasingly complex and unpredictable," said Marine Corps Gen. Thomas Waldhauser, the head of U.S. Africa Command. "Even with an adjustment of the force, we will continue to remain agile in support of existing U.S. strategy."
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He did not provide details on the number of U.S. troops that have been withdrawn or on how many remain inside the country.
Footage circulating online showed two apparent U.S. Navy transport craft maneuvering off a beach in Janzour, east of Tripoli, sending up plumes of spray as American forces were ferried from the shore.
India also evacuated a small contingent of peacekeepers. The Indian foreign minister, Sushma Swaraj, said the country’s 15 Central Reserve Police Force peacekeepers were evacuated Saturday from Tripoli because the “situation in Libya has suddenly worsened” and fighting has moved into the capital city.
“We will continue to monitor conditions on the ground in Libya,” Col. Chris Karns, USAFRICOM’s director of public affairs, told Military Times in an email. "U.S. Africa Command continually assesses the disposition of its forces in Libya. Broad support to counter-terrorism activities represents various capabilities, to include airpower and other options.
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“We still have capability to limit ISIS-Libya’s freedom of movement, constrain its ability to reinforce its fighters, and degrade its command and control,” he said. “The U.S. has demonstrated a resolve toward degrading and disrupting ISIS and other terror groups. U.S. Africa Command conducted six air strikes in 2018 against terrorist organizations in Libya.”
The self-styled Libyan National Army, led by Field Marshal Khalifa Hifter, launched a surprise offensive against the capital last week, a move that could potentially drag the country back into civil war. Libya has been gripped by unrest since the 2011 uprising that overthrew and killed long-ruling dictator Moammar Gadhafi, and in recent years has been governed by rival authorities in the east and in Tripoli, in the west, each backed by various armed groups.
Fayez Sarraj, head of government in Tripoli, accused Hifter of "betraying" him.
“We have extended our hands towards peace, but after the aggression that has taken place on the part of forces belonging to Hifter and his declaration of war against our cities and our capital ... he will find nothing but strength and firmness,” al-Sarraj said Saturday in televised comments.
Understaffed AFRICOM cutting hundreds more troops
600 troops total will be cut; AFRICOM hopes to spare ISR, medevac.
By: Tara Copp
Sarraj and Hifter held talks in Abu Dhabi in late February, their first confirmed meeting since November 2018, when they agreed that national elections were necessary, according to the U.N.
Hifter is seeking to capture the capital and seize military control of the whole country before U.N.-sponsored talks due to start next week that were designed to set a time frame for possible elections in the oil-rich country.
The U.N. envoy for Libya, Ghassan Salame, said the U.N. is determined to hold the planned conference.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged Libyan factions to return to negotiations, saying that “there is no military solution to the Libya conflict.”
“We have made clear that we oppose the military offensive by Khalifa Haftar’s forces and urge the immediate halt to these military operations against the Libyan capital,” Pompeo said in a statement.
Fighting was underway Sunday at the international airport, some 24 kilometers (15 miles) from central Tripoli, after Hifter claimed to have seized the area. The airport was destroyed in a previous bout of militia fighting in 2014. Hifter said his forces had launched airstrikes targeting rival militias on the outskirts of Tripoli.
The rival militias, which are affiliated with a U.N.-backed government in Tripoli, said they had also carried out airstrikes, slowing Hifter's advance.
Armed groups behind the U.N.-backed government of national accord, or GNA, have announced an effort to defend Tripoli, vowing to recapture all areas seized by Hifter's forces.
Col. Mohamed Gnounou, a spokesman for GNA forces, said in televised comments Sunday that the counteroffensive, dubbed "Volcano of Anger," was aimed at "purging all Libyan cities of aggressor and illegitimate forces."
The two sides reported that at least 35 people, including civilians, had been killed since Thursday.
The Interior Ministry of the Tripoli-based government said in a statement that at least nine people, including a physician, were killed. It said at least 55 fighters and a civilian were wounded. Ahmed al-Mesmari, spokesman for Hifter's forces, said Saturday that 14 troops had been killed since the offensive began.
The fighting has displaced hundreds of people, the U.N. migration agency said. The U.N. mission to Libya has called for a two-hour cease-fire on Sunday in parts of Tripoli to evacuate civilians and wounded people.
The LNA is supported by Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, France and Russia. It answers to the authorities based in eastern Libya, who are at odds with the U.N.-backed government.
Magdy reported from Cairo.
https://www.usnews.com/news/politic...-withdraws-from-libya-as-fighting-intensifies
U.S. Withdraws from Libya as Fighting Intensifies
A militia lead by Khalifa Hifter is laying siege to the U.N.-backed government in Tripoli.
By Paul D. Shinkman, Senior National Security Writer April 8, 2019, at 10:48 a.m.
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Libya Descends Into Chaos
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A U.S. amphibious hovercraft prepares to depart with evacuees from Janzur, west of Tripoli, Libya, on April 7, 2019. (Mohammed Omar Aburas/AP)
Violence in Libya threatens to cast the already unstable country into an even more precarious situation, following reports over the weekend that a militant leader's assault on the country's U.N.-backed government forced the U.S. to withdraw troops from the war-torn nation.
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Field Marshal Khalifa Hifter, the commander of the self-proclaimed Libyan National Army, seized the disused international airport outside Tripoli over the weekend while his forces continue to lay siege to the capital city. Hifter said 19 of his soldiers have died in the fighting, while the Health Ministry for the government in Tripoli says fighting there has killed 25 fighters and civilians and wounded 80, Reuters reports.
An internationally backed conference to take place April 14-16 to discuss possible new elections will still take place, the U.N. envoy to Libya said over the weekend.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Sunday the U.S. is "deeply concerned" about the ongoing fighting and called for a de-escalation by all sides.
"There is no military solution to the Libya conflict," Pompeo said in a statement. "A political solution is the only way to unify the country and provide a plan for security, stability and prosperity for all Libyans."
Intense instability began in Libya following the 2011 U.S-led NATO intervention in Libya, ultimately leading to the ouster and public execution of longtime leader Col. Moammar Gadhafi. Control of the country has subsequently fractured among at least hundreds of warring militias, organized roughly in the west around central control of Tripoli and in the east around the city of Benghazi – site of a 2012 uprising that led to the deaths of four Americans, including Ambassador Chris Stevens.
An international coalition has since worked to restore some semblance of governance in the warring country.
The 75-year-old Hifter, once an ally of Gadhafi who was ultimately exiled by him, spent several decades in the United States and holds U.S. citizenship. He is backed by Egypt and the United Arab Emirates and has condemned Islamic extremism and openly stated his intention to overthrow the government in Tripoli.
Political Cartoons on World Leaders
In 2016, Hifter met with then-U.S. envoy to Libya Jonathan Winer and told him he intended to overthrow the government and rule by force, personally instituting a democratic system from which he said he would eventually step down. Winer unsuccessfully encouraged Hifter to instead support the U.N.-backed elections, a process Hifter disregarded, saying he would "take over the entire country without anyone else's help."
The top U.S. headquarters for operations in Africa said Sunday that it had withdrawn a contingent of U.S. forces from Libya "in response to security conditions."
"We will continue to monitor the conditions on the ground and assess the feasibility for renewed U.S. military presence, as appropriate," a spokesman for U.S. Africa Command said in a statement.
Marine Corps Gen. Thomas Waldhauser, who leads the command, described the situation as "increasingly complex and unpredictable."
"Even with the adjustment of the force, we will continue to remain agile in support of existing U.S. strategy," he said in a statement.
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In 2016 the U.S. against stepped up its military intervention in Libya to support forces loyal to the newly created Libyan Government of National Accord and combat a pocket of fighters from the Islamic State group who had fled the war in Iraq and Syria to establish a new haven in the port city of Sirte.
Small teams of American commandos deployed on the ground to identify militias with which the U.S. could cooperate and assist them. The Pentagon has declined to say how many are there and where they are operating. In recent years, Libya has become the site of a ramped up U.S. drone campaign.
President Donald Trump has been a longtime critic of the Obama administration's decision to intervene in Libya and subsequent policies to mitigate the resulting violence, though his own views on how the U.S. should respond are unclear. Since 2011 and 2012 he has repeatedly lamented via Twitter that the U.S. had not gone into Libya to "take the oil."
Libya was among the seven predominantly Muslim countries from which the Trump administration banned travel to the U.S. early in his administration – a move that wrought widespread condemnation.
http://www.sohu.com/a/306547015_419351
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兵临城下，美军却直接跑了？！
2019-04-08 15:51 美国 /美军 /中国
大家应该还记得8年前的那场“阿拉伯之春”的“民主革命”风潮吧？当时，利比亚的反对派“联盟”，在美国和北约的支持下推翻了卡扎菲政权，而挥舞着感谢北约和美国支持标语的“革命者”们则宣誓他们要在利比亚的土地上建立起一个全新的民主国家。
可尴尬的是，8年过去了，这个当年“阿拉伯之春”中最受关注的国家，不仅仍然动荡不断，如今还陷入了更严重的军事冲突中——甚至还把美国驻军都给吓跑了！
根据多家美国媒体报道，美国驻非洲军队最高司令官托马斯·沃尔德豪泽（Thomas Waldhauser）就表示他已经下令将在利比亚承担外交保护、反恐和改善地区安全的美军士兵从利比亚撤出，因为利比亚首都【的黎波里】的军事危机正越发恶化。
可利比亚究竟发生了，竟能把在全世界“耀武扬威”的美军都给吓跑了呢？
原来，自2011年卡扎菲政府被美国和北约支持的反对派“联盟”推翻后，这个国家并没有走向“民主”道路。卡扎菲被杀后出现的“权力真空”，令那些“心怀鬼胎”且拥有“枪杆子”的“革命者”都想成为这个国家的“皇帝”，这更给了“伊斯兰国”这样的恐怖组织最佳的滋生土壤。
于是，利比亚境内【上千个来自不同派系、不同宗教立场的武装组织】便开始了旷日持久的厮杀，他们的背后更有对利比亚“虎视眈眈”的境外大国希望通过这一场场血腥的“洗牌”树立和巩固自己在该地区的权威与影响力。
可利比亚的民众却因此倒了大霉。比如路透社2017年的报道就指出，持续的动乱令多达60-70万利比亚人“背井离乡”，甚至不惜冒着生命危险越过地中海前往欧洲避难。而在过去这8年里死在战乱中丧生的人更是“不计其数”……
如今，利比亚主要在两股势力的“割据”局面之下。其中一方为联合国和美国等西方国家承认与支持的“利比亚民族团结政府”（GNA），他们控制着首都的黎波里及其周边的区域。
另一派则是来自利比亚大城市班加西并控制了利比亚东部和中部绝大部分地区的军事强人哈里发·哈夫塔尔（Khalifa Haftar），他和他的“利比亚国民军”（LNA）的背后则有埃及、阿联酋的支持。
另外，利比亚南部还有一部分区域则在其他部落和武装组织的控制下。
从上图中大家不难发现，粉色代表的“利比亚国民”军其实已经占据了该国绝大多数的地盘，而浅蓝色表示的“利比亚民族团结政府”则几乎被前者包围。
这也是目前利比亚国内局势面临新一轮恶化的背景因素：军事力量薄弱的“利比亚民族团结政府”希望在联合国和西方的支持下通过“选举”来决定利比亚未来的权力分配，但被一些西方媒体称为“卡扎菲2.0”的哈夫塔尔将军，则打算通过对前者施加强大的军事压力增加自己在联合国、西方以及利比亚预定的“选举”中的筹码——当然，他本人恐怕更倾向于直接攻下首都，从而实现对利比亚的绝对掌控。
而就在上周，原本希望利比亚这场严重的军事冲突可以“和平解决”的联合国秘书长古特雷斯，却未能与哈夫塔尔在利比亚前途的问题上达成一致。这不仅令古特雷斯“心情沉重”地；离开了利比亚，更令该国的局势——尤其是处在哈夫塔尔攻势下的首都的黎波里的危机陡增。
不少西方媒体干脆纷纷宣称又一场“利比亚内战”即将来临了……
可讽刺的是，当美国《纽约时报》等一些美国媒体宣称“美国可以挽救这场危机”的时候，美国驻非洲军队最高司令官托马斯·沃尔德豪泽却下令让美军撤出了利比亚。一段视频就显示，几艘美军的气垫登陆艇正在运送美军士兵离开利比亚，前往美军位于地中海的基地。
视频：
同样滑稽的是，美国CNN还发现这位目前正要对联合国支持的利比亚政府动手的哈夫塔尔将军，还是个“美国公民”，曾在上世纪90年代加入过美国国籍……
▲图为美国CNN的报道：一个美国公民要推翻一个美国政府支持的利比亚政府
最后，作为一个从不去干涉别国内政，也不会害得一个国家落入这般惨状的中国人，耿直哥只希望利比亚民众的苦难能早日结束——毕竟，这样的生活与8年前他们被承诺的“民主自由”的“好日子”，实在是“大相径庭”。
▲图为8年前“革命”后的利比亚民众感谢美国、英国和法国领导人
昨天，一则沙雕新闻吸引了美国媒体的关注
一架载317人从台湾飞往香港客机引擎冒烟紧急迫降
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声明：该文观点仅代表作者本人，搜狐号系信息发布平台，搜狐仅提供信息存储空间服务。
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Under the soldiers, the US troops ran directly? !
2019-04-08 15:51 United States / US Army / China
Should everyone still remember the "Democratic Revolution" trend of the "Arab Spring" eight years ago? At that time, Libya’s opposition “alliance” overthrew the Gaddafi regime with the support of the United States and NATO, and the “revolutionaries” who thanked NATO and the United States for supporting the slogans swore that they would build up on Libya’s land. A brand new democracy.
What is awkward is that eight years have passed, and the most concerned country in the Arab Spring is not only turbulent, but also now in a more serious military conflict – even scaring the US garrison Now!
According to several US media reports, Thomas Waldhauser, the US Supreme Commander in the African Army, said he had ordered the withdrawal of US soldiers who would undertake diplomatic protection, counter-terrorism and improve regional security in Libya from Libya. Because the military crisis in the Libyan capital [Tripoli] is getting worse.
What happened to Libya? Can you scare away the American troops who are "smart and arrogant" in the world?
It turned out that since the Gaddafi government was overthrown by the opposition "alliance" supported by the United States and NATO in 2011, the country has not moved toward a "democratic" road. The “power vacuum” that emerged after Gaddafi’s murder made those “revolutionaries” who had “ghosts” and possessed “guns” want to be the “emperor” of this country, which gave the “Islamic State” The best breeding ground for terrorist organizations.
As a result, in Libya, [thousands of armed groups from different factions and different religious positions] began a long-lasting killing, and behind them there are even more foreign countries that are eager to see Libya’s “sweeping”. "Build and consolidate your authority and influence in the region."
The people in Libya have fallen into the mold. For example, Reuters reported in 2017 that the ongoing turmoil has caused as many as 600,000 to 700,000 Libyan people to leave their homes, and even risked their lives to cross the Mediterranean to seek refuge in Europe. And those who have died in the war in the past eight years have been "countless"...
Today, Libya is mainly under the "separation" situation of the two forces. One of them is the Libyan National Unity Government (GNA), which is recognized and supported by Western countries such as the United Nations and the United States. They control the capital Tripoli and its surrounding areas.
The other faction is Khalifa Haftar, a military strongman from Bengal, a large city in Libya, who controls most of Libya's eastern and central regions. He and his Libyan National Army (LNA) are behind it. There is support from Egypt and the United Arab Emirates.
In addition, a part of the southern part of Libya is under the control of other tribes and armed groups.
From the above picture, it is not difficult to find that the "Libyan nationals" represented by pink actually occupy the vast majority of the country's territory, and the "Libyan national unity government" expressed in light blue is almost surrounded by the former.
This is also the background factor for the new round of deterioration in Libya's domestic situation: the Libyan National Unity Government, which has weak military strength, hopes to determine Libya's future power distribution through "elections" with the support of the United Nations and the West, but it is being used by some Western media. General Haftar, known as "Gaddafi 2.0", intends to increase his bargaining power in the "elections" scheduled by the United Nations, the West and Libya by exerting strong military pressure on the former. Of course, he may be more inclined The direct capture of the capital, in order to achieve absolute control of Libya.
Just last week, UN Secretary-General Guterres, who had hoped that Libya’s serious military conflict could be “peacefully resolved”, failed to reach an agreement with Haftar’s future in Libya. This not only made Guterres "heavy"; leaving Libya, the crisis in the country, especially the capital of Tripoli under the Haftar offensive, increased sharply.
Many Western media have declared that another "Libya civil war" is coming...
Ironically, when some American media such as the New York Times declared that "the United States can save the crisis," the US Supreme Commander of the African Army, Thomas Waldhaus, ordered the US troops to withdraw from Libya. A video shows that several US military air-cushion landing crafts are carrying US soldiers to leave Libya and head to the US military base in the Mediterranean.
video:
Equally funny, CNN also found that the general manager of Haftar, who is currently working on the Libyan government supported by the United Nations, is a "American citizen" who joined American citizenship in the 1990s...
▲Photo shows CNN report: A US citizen wants to overthrow a Libyan government supported by the US government
Finally, as a Chinese who never interferes in the internal affairs of other countries and does not harm a country into such a terrible situation, Zhi Gang only hopes that the suffering of the Libyan people will end soon – after all, this life is 8 years ago. The "good days" they have promised "democratic freedom" are really "very different."
▲The picture shows the Libyan people after the “revolution” eight years ago thank the leaders of the United States, Britain and France.
Yesterday, a sand sculpture news attracted the attention of the American media.
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