Military escalation in Libya, what if the keys for solutions were abroad? (Asks Youssef Ba, PANA correspondent)

Tripoli, Libya (PANA) – The armed clashes in Libya continued on Tuesday, the tenth day of the offensive launched by the forces of the Libyan National Army againstTripoli, at a time when efforts for ceasefire are thwarted by the refusal by Marshall Khalifa Haftar to withdraw his troops to their base.

Analysts say his troops' withdrawal can only be influenced by foreign powers, accused of fuelling the Libyan conflict.

Fighting is still raging on the eastern and southern parts of Tripoli after the Libyan National Army, launched an offensive on 4 April in the western region and Tripoli. That onslaught was contained by the army and armed groups loyal to the government of national accord.

After more than two weeks of fierce fighting during which different types of weapons were used, particularly heavy weapons, tanks and aviation, claiming the lives for 147 and injuring 614, in addition to 9,500 displaced, causing huge material damage in public and private goods, none of the two parties has succeeded in winning the fight.

This situation strengthens the widely believed opinion that there can be no military solution to the crisis in Libya.

After more than eight years of generalized clashes and security chaos since the 17 February revolution of 2011 in Libya, no side has succeeded in taking control of the country.

Political analyst Slah Fitouri says ‘’the military offensive launched by Khalifa Haftar against Tripoli by the euphoria from his brilliant victory in the south he seized days ago without fierce resistance.

"Haftar, hoping to achieve the same success in the west, launched his troops without seizing the differences that exist between the two regions’’, he said, adding that the context in the west of the country where Haftar has several opponents and enemies is different from that prevailing in the south of the country’’.

In that respect, the UN envoy in Libya, Ghassan Salamé, said that it has become clear that Khalifa Haftar has politically motivated goals, that is to say taking control of Tripoli, seat of the institutions, stressing in an interview with BBC on Monday in English that Haftar accepted the ceasefire but refuses to return to his previous positions.

The government of national accord has set two conditions for peace in Libya: ceasefire and the return of assailants troops to where they came from.

Mr Salamé deplored the divisions within the UN Security Council, saying they only make more complicated the situation in Libya by taking sides.

He vowed to work in harmony with the positions of UN member countries in view of the adoption of a common attitude to facilitate the end of the escalation in Libya.

About the military supports taken by foreign countries, the UN envoy said that the two camps benefit from those supports, indicating that information reveal the arrival on Saturday of two jets from United Arab Emirates in the eastern city of Benghazi, as well as a Turkish ship on the ports of the west of the country.

But for him, as long as it is about the same type of weapon, this is relatively acceptable, warning against the introduction of sophisticated arms, alluding to the land-air missiles able to bring down fighter jets.

"My strongest fear is the possibility of direct foreign interference in that war. This will be a big change of the deal, and this will make thing more complicated, because if there is direct foreign interference, it would lead to a counter-intervention by other parties’’, said Mr Salamé in his BBC interview.

He expressed hope that “the war remains a Libya-Libya war and it is possible to manage it, more than a war by proxy or by direct foreign interference”.

“If they (foreign interference) send weapons or money, it is very dangerous, but if there is any direct foreign interference, this will change the deal and it will be very worrying”.

As much as foreign powers are contributing to fuelling the conflicts in Libya, they hold the keys for solutions to that military escalation.

As this was confirmed by the UN envoy, the two sides are backed militarily by other countries that certainly have means to exercise pressures, in a bid to bring them back to reason or accept to make concessions.

This is what came out of the appeal made by the Speaker of the European Parliament, Antonio Tajani, to the Italian and French governments to "end the season of arm wrestling between them and find solution to stabilize Libya".

"If the situation continues, there will be only dead and migrants attempting to flee towards European coasts’’, he added in his declaration on the Italian media.

"The duty of the European Union is to bring together the French and the Italians so they reach a deal. The French have made mistakes, but Italy has very weak presence that cannot be efficient", said the European Parliament member in the party Forza Italia led by Silvio Berlusconi.

As for the French ministry of foreign affairs, he said on Monday that their country was carrying on its efforts through bilateral and multilateral ways to encourage a truce involving all Libyan parties to end the fighting in Tripoli.  

‘’Negotiations function through bilateral and multilateral channels, as well as the job of the UN Security Council, the European Union and the Group of seven industrialized countries so that a ceasefire can be established in Libya", said the French foreign affairs ministry in a communiqué.

"Paris not only calls for the immediate end of hostilities, but also the fighters to respect the international humanitarian law and reopen political dialogue", added the ministry.

As for the Italian minister of Defence, Elisabetta Trenta, the diplomatic solution in Libya is the only viable solution for her country, adding that "diplomacy must be raised to the highest level".

Mrs Trenta said that her country should pursue dialogue with all parties involved in the conflict, while waiting for a non-military solution.

If France, a UN Security Council member supporting Haftar and Italy backing the western side of Libya meet, a truce could be found as soon as possible, according to observers.

-0- PANA BY/JSG/MSA/VAO 16April2019