Libya - Massacre At Brak al-Shatti May Trigger Larger Civil War
Egypt, the UN and Arab governments try to mediated between the two governments in Libya. A massacre at an air base interrupted the process and threatens to intensify the civil war.
(Cairo) Nobody has their eye on Libya with all "western" media preoccupied with DC machinations, Russiaphobia and the first overseas trip of President Trump.
What about the implosion we are on the brink of seeing in Libya following the murder of all LNA Air Force personnel at the Brak al-Shati AFB?
The death toll in the attack of a Libyan National Army airbase, in south Libya, rose to over 140, a spokesman for Field Marshall Khalifa Haftar said on Sunday.
Remarkably it was militia (called 'the third force') of the UN unelected Government of National Accord (GNA) under Faez Serraj that attacked and executed the unarmed men in the Brak al-Shati Air base. There were allegedly foreigners among the attackers possibly aligned with al-Qaeda.
LNA spokesman Ahmad al-Mesmari said on Friday most of the fatalities were maintenance and support Air Force personnel including some pilots. He added the victims included many civilians such as cooks and cleaners who worked at the airbase or were in the nearby area, adding that barbaric summary executions were carried out one by one, all head shots. "Many of the young airmen were returning from a military parade. They weren't armed but still were executed," the spokesman said.
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Aerial view and map of Brak al-Shati air base
The LNA Air Force has been in control of the airbase since last December.
The GNA's 'third force' militia spokesman, most of whom are from Misrata said they had "liberated the base and destroyed all the forces inside."
Prime Minister Faez Serraj the UN appointed prime minister has denied ordering the attack.
The attack broke an informal truce reached in Abu Dhabi brokered by one of the most powerful GCC personalities, HH the Crown Prince of the UAE, Sheikh Mohamad bin Zayed Al Nahayan earlier this month when the LNA's commander, Field Marshall Khalifa Haftar, met the U.N.backed Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj. Also in attendance was President Sisi of Egypt as well as a senior civil servant from the Russian Federation.
Last week Hafter and Serraj were due to meet again but in Cairo this time under the mediation of President Sisi. Both were supposed to be Cairo on May 11 but Serraj did not shown up. It was said that his own militia had threatened him and told him to stay away.
Serraj went on to Guinea to meet the head of the African Union and to Riyadh to take part in Trump's Arab Islamic American party on Sunday. He shortly met with President Trump who, it seems, had not been briefed on the atrocities committed by Serraj's militias at the time they briefly spoke with each other.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres is particularly disturbed by the high number of fatalities in the Air Base attack as well as reports of their barbaric summary execution including civilians which, if confirmed, should constitute a war crime perpetrated by the UN recognised and chosen government itself. It was not elected by the Libyan people. An astonishing development.
Martin Kobler, the head of the U.N. Support Mission known as UNSMIL, strongly condemned the deadly incident as a "vicious attack undermines political efforts."
"I am outraged by reports of significant numbers of fatalities, including civilians and by reports that summary executions may have taken place. Summary executions and targeting civilians constitute a war crime, which may be prosecuted by the International Criminal Court," Kobler said.
To back track a little, the first meeting started in Rome. Italy is leading the 'fantasy' campaign to convince the outside world that somehow the two year civil war is about to end, trumpeting “breakthrough” when describing the April 21st meeting in Rome between Agelah Saleh, the president of the elected parliament in Tobruk, and Abdurrahman Swehli, head of Tripoli’s High Council of State (HCS).
The hard reality is that the Tobruk parliament, and Haftar, now command the strongest army, control two thirds of the country and hold the Oil Crescent, home to most of the oil. And their objective is to get control of the remaining third, crucially west and south of Tripoli.
Haftar needs also to stop the Italian-Libyan-EU criminal mafia network controlling human trafficking of migrants from Libya to Europe.
Trump’s declaration weeks ago that the US has “no role” in LIbya left the field clear for Russia in Libya. The Kremlin showed its hand in January, inviting Haftar aboard an aircraft carrier in the Mediterranean.
Russia is to send more diplomats to Libya next week and near the end of May a large naval exercise is expected off the coast of Libya. One might question the reasoning behind the timing of this exercise.
Moscow is well aware that Haftar is now the key player. This is now clearly a Russian led game with Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov playing an important role. He recently successfully negotiated the release of kidnapped Russian sailors.
This new found relationship is in many ways extraordinary and is but one illustration of Russia’s growing clout in Libya.
As for the UK, Britain’s foreign secretary Boris Johnson paid day visits to Libya last week. He went first to Tripoli to see poor beleaguered Serraj, with a separate meeting with Swehli as Serraj and Swelhi won't meet each other. But two days later when Boris journeyed to Tobruk for an hour's visit, he only met Saleh because Haftar could find no time to meet Johnson. Enough said.
The French will always have their own agenda in the South of Libya based on their interests in Central Africa, not only Libya.
To sum up, it’s a catch 22. Haftar will accept nothing less than to become commander of all Libyan armed forces, and that means Serraj must dissolve and disarm the militias which he has no ability or power to do.
This barbaric act at the Air Base will, I think, be the trigger for a massive escalation of the Libyan civil war.
The intensity and complexity of these issues will come to a head shortly particularly after the massacre at Brak and turn into a very dangerous violent phase due in part also to disgruntled Tripoli and Misratan militias and in my opinion culminating soon in the inevitable siege of both Misrata and Tripoli by Khalifa's LNA.
LNA Special Forces Commander, the legendary Col. Wanis Boukhamada commented " Our response to these treacherous crimes will be harsh on the battlefield"
Terrorist sleeper cells and snipers are allegedly already in place in and around Tripoli to conduct a long guerrilla war fare campaign should Tripoli be overtaken by Hafter. Its going to be something like Sarajevo.
The Libyan people have had enough and Europe will suffer considerably from these negative violent changes that are about to inevitably intensify between the warring parties within Libya after this massacre.
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Posted by b on May 23, 2017 at 6:01 UTC | Permalink
"Europe will suffer considerably from these negative violent changes that are about to inevitably intensify between the warring parties within Libya after this massacre."
Qui Bono? Why would the European elites allow this to happen? Why would the Norwegian elites allow themselves to get dragged into a Syrian civil war?
Gods chosen people may have been hijacked by this tribe of Kazarians, but they are complicit in all that has been perpetrated in the name of their race and religion. Together these 2 peoples have hijacked the entire west through their control of the planets central banking, banking, military, weapons industry, tech industry, media, and resource extraction and more. They have a centuries old agenda which has been exposed for decades, but people refuse to believe it out of fear of being called "nazi".
This agenda does not stop at Syria, Libya, or even Russia and China. The agenda is a world conquest and domination of the kind that not even the worlds most evil person ever, Hitler, wanted for his people.
Now we have a major massacre and escalation in Libya. I had expected it to happen in Ukraine, but I know one thing for certain: this war against us will never stop until the world falls under the control of the new world court in Jerusalem or the planet is destroyed. This is how they do business: No Limits. That is why they have prepared the Samson option.
So as Italy, France and probably Spain are bankrupted (Greece is already toast) fighting this war in the Sahara they will be simultaneously overwhelmed by a flood of invaders shipped across the med by Soros and his zionist pals. Meanwile, the ECB is bankrupting the pension schemes with NIRP and setting up Europe for Greek style destitution. Simultaneously Russia will be squeezed with escalation of false flag airliner shoot downs, color revolts, assassinations and economic black mail until she, like Hitler and Hirohito, is finally forced to react with force. There will be no letting up in the escalation, if the chosen ones suffer a defeat on one front they will escalate on another with false flags and other dirty tricks. History shows that tens of millions, even hundreds of millions, of casualties committed by war crime are not an obstacle.
Here are some possibilities for the next escalation if things turn sour for them in Syria and Assad starts really getting the upper hand:
- Spill over from Libya into Morocco and into Andalusia
- Major false flag terrorist attack (dirty bomb, nuke, chemical attack) on Damascus or perhaps Mecca.
- New front in the full spectrum world war being fought right now. Perhaps a new cyber front, or a biological warfare front, or weather manipulation front. Even earthquake wars.
- Space war with satellites being shot down
- North Korea attacks...
The possibilities are endless, and the "western world" as we have come to know it is already destroyed, most people just haven't woken up to reality yet.
Posted by: Heros | May 23 2017 8:24 utc | 2
Thanks for the update, b!
It looks as though the entire stage and all actors are being set up and positioned precisely according to the eschatological teachings of Christianity and Islam.
“O you who believe! Take not (such) Jews and (such) Christians as Auliya (friends, protectors, supporters, helpers etc.), who/they are Auliya of each other. And if any amongst you takes them (as Auliya), then surely he is one of them. Verily, Allah guides not those people who are Zalimun (i.e. wrongdoers, unjust).” (Holy Qur'an 5:51)
“And you will find the nearest of them in affection to the believers those who say, “We are Christians.” That is because among them are priests and monks and because they are not arrogant.” (Holy Qur'an: 5:82)
Posted by: LXV | May 23 2017 8:30 utc | 3
haven't nato and the us done such a wonderful job in libya? aren't all citizens of the usofa and of the nato countries swollen with pride at the brave, glorious acts of their governments in MENA?
Posted by: jfl | May 23 2017 9:06 utc | 4
Weird to hear about the GNA actually carrying out combat operation. Usually its just endorsements from the UN, US, etc.
Does anybody (maybe you yourself b) on their capabilities? Is it local troops or are they imported?
Would be very curious to know from anybody with some info.
Posted by: George Smiley | May 23 2017 12:09 utc | 6
@6 smiley
i think the gna is totally irrelevant to libya and that this incident shows that. i don't think they had a clue. this massacre was carried out by a gang which was nominally their supporter ... most likely in order to tap some of the bucks/euros on offer for collaboration. for whatever reason - perhaps to start a civil war and get more for their partaking therein 'on behalf' of the gna - they carried out this brutal massacre.
the gna is a potemkin front. but to the extent that they have financed/armed/supported these bastards they are now responsible for them ... and 'the UN' ... the usofa and nato ... are the real evil puppeteers behind this and all the other evil in libya ... and syria, and yemen, and ukraine ...
Posted by: jfl | May 23 2017 12:42 utc | 7
Haftar seems neither nice, and, more disturbingly, overly competent. It may be the case that there is no better alternative for him in Libya, and killing people who surrendered is indubitably criminal, but either a military base can be defended or it should not be there.
Posted by: Piotr Berman | May 23 2017 13:37 utc | 8
A terrible war crime for sure, but again the mid-term political-strategic consequences remain to be seen.
It's fairly big news on all western media, which means it can't just be ignored. So there will have to be some distancing from Serraj's terrorist militia supporters, who'll be increasingly isolated.
LIFG/ Al-Qaida/ Third Force aren't too happy about the signs of detente (Abu Dhabi) and try everything in their might to sabotage it. But as long as Serraj is the recognized figurehead, it probably won't be enough. Depends on who gets what amount of outside supplies...
Posted by: smuks | May 23 2017 13:59 utc | 9
thanks richard and b for the libya update here.. it is quite shocking.. i hope they are able to find peace, but it doesn't look like it in the short term.
Posted by: james | May 23 2017 15:59 utc | 11
If his family fled to #UK to "escape Gaddafi regime"??
Then, #Gaddafi rightly had a plan to arrest a potential THREAT #Libya??
#SalmanAbedi
https://twitter.com/HibaSyriana/status/867065303850790914
Posted by: From The Hague | May 23 2017 17:29 utc | 12
Quaddafi's son might be the key to unifying the country
Posted by: paul | May 23 2017 18:34 utc | 13
@13 charles.. now now, mr hasbarist... relax.. all that benevolence the west, usa, uk and israel are spreading in libya is so much better then what gaddaffi was offering right? Salman Abedi is his name... i am sure the wahabbi death cult had nothing to do with it, just like they haven't infested libya or syria, thanks the same do gooder, regime change artists listed above.. that was just ''''a fluke''' i am sure, lol..
Posted by: james | May 23 2017 18:58 utc | 14
Probably the same crew shooting from rooftops at Maidan?
Posted by: noone | May 23 2017 19:49 utc | 15
Whatever poster @ 2 is smoking must be some powerful stuff.
All this turmoil in the world is the bitter fruit of the "regime change" artists and their sycophants. The corporate monsters that drive the 4th Reich empire machine will never relent. In the destruction they cause, there is much $ to be made.
Greedy and powerful people embrace no one religion, their god is money and power.
Posted by: ben | May 23 2017 22:37 utc | 16
Sorry to say it, but the article is pretty much in line with Neocon/ Saudi goals imho:
Don't allow negotiations which might lead to a political solution, keep talking about how total escalation is 'inevitable' until everyone believes it and gives up any hopes of reaching agreement.
This attack notwithstanding, the overall development in Libya in recent months is actually quite encouraging, and I don't see why we at MoA should join the war party propaganda chorus. We know well enough what they want and which tactics they employ, don't we? Why give Al-Qaida the impression that they have reached their goal, when this is far from certain?
Posted by: smuks | May 23 2017 22:46 utc | 17
@19, smuks 'Don't allow negotiations which might lead to a political solution, keep talking about how total escalation is 'inevitable' until everyone believes it and gives up any hopes of reaching agreement.'
don't worry. the russians are right offshore. negotiation is what we denigrate them for at moa ... everytime they open a new series of same when we think they're 'winning' ... and then praise them for in the longer run, when their efforts actually do bear fruit.
Posted by: jfl | May 23 2017 23:06 utc | 18
The US MSM swept news about Libya under the rug after Mission Accomplished by Hillary, Obama, Rice, Powell, Sarkozy, etc. Their success never rated a mention during the 2016 election. Shameful!
Posted by: Curtis | May 24 2017 0:08 utc | 19
Quaddafi's son might be the key to unifying the country
Posted by: paul | May 23, 2017 2:34:33 PM | 15
And Quaddafi's daughter appears to be pretty successful at uniting the Libyan tribes as well.
Posted by: frances | May 24 2017 0:18 utc | 20
Russia concerned over recent surge of violence in Libya: FM
“We assume that all issues must be settled at the negotiating table within the framework of an inclusive dialogue on the basis of the December 17, 2015 agreement, sealed by the UN Security Council resolution 2259.”The ministry urged to prevent “the illegal armed formations, engaged in subversive activities to the detriment of the country’s territorial integrity and unity” from seizing control over the political process in Libya.
sane heads to the rescue.
Posted by: jfl | May 24 2017 6:23 utc | 21
JFL 19 "and then praise them for in the longer run, when their efforts actually do bear fruit."
Well said. Often it seems commenters want Russia to react with knee jerk reactions to US moves. China and Russia will be the powers of the future and it would not be good if they were same as US.
Posted by: Peter AU | May 24 2017 9:37 utc | 22
Perhaps the new Gaddafi (& Nasar) has just stood up?
I guess Egypt is now going to need some more American 'democracy' soon.
No wonder old man Trump is exhausted -- this level of geopolitical mendacity must be ripping his inner roulette wheel mandala soul to bits.
I think this time we can say Putin more than likely had a hand in it. The stakes are very high indeed.
sisi-drops-a-depth-charge-in-midst-of-american-islamic-summit
Posted by: x | May 24 2017 12:45 utc | 23
Thanks President Obama, you Fcked up Libya like you did South Sudan
Posted by: Rawdawgbuffalo | May 24 2017 13:24 utc | 24
@23 Peter AU
Also well said, thank you both. I appreciate it greatly when people put things that we know from experience, into words that we can describe them with. It performs a very valuable service, often unrecognized.
Knee-jerk reactions, indeed. The short attention span that has been created, diagnosed, medicated, commercialized and scapegoated in the west has a lot to answer for. Reality is a non-moving target. It takes focus to apprehend it.
As is said, "The Way does not hurry, yet nothing is left undone." One could almost be speaking of Russian planning and diplomacy.
Posted by: Grieved | May 24 2017 17:13 utc | 25
The comments to this entry are closed.
Gaddafi's switching roles under Western manipulation until the final destruction of Libya
Posted by: nmb | May 23 2017 6:44 utc | 1