Russia accused as new civil war looms in Libya
LIBYA was on the brink of another civil war last night after a renegade general that Britain believes is secretly backed by Russia ordered his forces to march on Tripoli.
The UN secretary general flew in for talks with General Khalifa Haftar after he called for a ‘victorious march’ on the capital, sparking fears of a major showdown with rival militias.
Hours after his rallying call, the internationally-backed government deployed forces in and around the capital for protection. Militias from the western cities of Zawiya and Misarata said on social media: ‘We are the revolutionaries and the elders. We declare we are on full mobilisation and war.’
UN chief Antonio Guterres met Haftar in his base in the eastern city of Benghazi yesterday in a bid to avoid a civil war.
‘My aim remains the same: avoid a military confrontation. I reiterate that there is no military solution for the Libyan crisis, only a political one,’ Mr Guterres said.
Senior Whitehall sources last night accused Russia of supplying Haftar with weapons, possibly via Egypt, to cause unrest.
Spies also believe mercenaries with deep Kremlin connections are buying influence with the general by supplying artillery, tanks, drones, ammunition and logistical capabilities.
‘It’s all part of the Russian playbook, they will help to influence the outcome of the battle,’ a Government insider said.
‘They see him (Haftar) as someone who could be the strong man of Libya.’
If the general gained control, Russia would have huge influence in the region and be able to ‘turn the migration flow on and off’, officials fear. Haftar’s military thrust marked a dangerous escalation of a power struggle that has dragged on since the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.
On Thursday, Haftar’s Libyan National Army (LNA) took Gharyan, about 50 miles south of Tripoli. They seized control after skirmishes with forces allied to Tripoli- based prime minister Fayez al-Serraj.
Forces allied to Tripoli took 145 LNA fighters prisoner in Zawiya, west of Tripoli, a commander, Mohamed Alhudair, told Reuters. Russian president Vladimir Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: ‘ It is necessary to take every possible effort to achieve a full settlement through peaceful diplomatic means.’
Asked if Russia was supporting Haftar, Peskov said: ‘No, Moscow isn’t involved in that in any way.’
Haftar was an officer in Gaddafi’s army and became a coup plotter against him before going into exile in the United States in 1990. He returned to Libya in 2011.