UN outrage at lethal Libya raid
Then car bomb kills tribal elder and five others near Slouq
TRIPOLI // The United Nations yesterday expressed outrage over an attack by a militia loyal to the UN-backed unity government on a military base controlled by rival forces in which dozens of people were reported killed, including civilians. Members of the Third Force militia loyal to the Government of National Accord in Tripoli attacked an airbase used by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, head of the Libyan National Army (LNA) loyal to a government based in eastern Libya.
The GNA and defence ministry condemned the attack and said they had not ordered any such action, vowing to investigate and sanction those responsible. There was no independent word on casualties in the assault on Thursday on the Brak Al Shati base, 650 kilometres south of Tripoli, but Libyan media reported at least 60 dead.
“I am outraged by reports of significant numbers of fatalities, including civilians and by reports that summary executions may have taken place,” said the UN’s Libya envoy, Martin Kobler.
The unity government, the rival administration in eastern Libya and their respective backers are battling for influence in Libya, which has been racked by chaos since the fall of dictator Muammar Qaddafi in 2011.
Britain’s ambassador to Libya, Peter Millett, also denounced the airbase assault. “Disgusted by attack on Brak Al Shati & reports of mass executions. Perpetrators must be brought to justice,” he posted on Twitter.
The incident at the Brak base in Wadi Al Shati district came a month after an attack by the LNA on the Tamenhant airbase controlled by the Third Force near the southern city of Sebha.
That attack was called off after a reconciliation meeting between Field Marshal Haftar and unity government head Fayez Al Sarraj in Abu Dhabi on May 2.
The speaker of the eastern-based parliament, which is supported by the LNA, accused the Misurata- based Third Force of a “serious breach of the truce agreement reached in Abu Dhabi”.
Aguila Saleh said there were a “number of martyrs” in LNA ranks, without giving a figure.
In fresh violence yesterday, a pro-Haftar tribal chief, Sheikh Ibrayek Alwati, and five people, including a child, were killed in a car bombing outside a mosque in Slouq, about 50km south of Benghazi. There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but figures associated with the LNA have previously been targeted by its rivals in similar attacks.
The LNA has been fighting a three-year campaign against extremist groups and other opponents in Benghazi and other parts of eastern Libya.
Meanwhile, France said it was reviewing its position on the Libyan conflict and for the first time openly called for a united national army, including Field Marshal Haftar’s men, to battle extremist militants.
“Libya needs to build a national army under civilian control with the participation of all the forces that fight terrorism across the country, including those of Gen Haftar,” said France’s foreign ministry on Thursday.
“In contact with our European partners and neighbouring countries, France will study ways of reinforcing our political and security activity to help restore Libyan institutions and an army capable of defeating the terrorists.”