Libyan Amazigh Threaten Dbeibeh with War, Taking Control of Ras Ajdir

A former meeting between the head of the Libyan Presidential Council, Mohammed al-Menfi, and Abdulhamid Dbeibeh (Libyan Presidential Council)
A former meeting between the head of the Libyan Presidential Council, Mohammed al-Menfi, and Abdulhamid Dbeibeh (Libyan Presidential Council)
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Libyan Amazigh Threaten Dbeibeh with War, Taking Control of Ras Ajdir

A former meeting between the head of the Libyan Presidential Council, Mohammed al-Menfi, and Abdulhamid Dbeibeh (Libyan Presidential Council)
A former meeting between the head of the Libyan Presidential Council, Mohammed al-Menfi, and Abdulhamid Dbeibeh (Libyan Presidential Council)

No military vehicles to the forces loyal to the interim unity Libyan government are allowed to move to the west of the country, the head of the Libyan Presidential Council, Mohammed al-Menfi, has announced.

Menfi sought on Saturday to contain sudden military tensions in the country after the Libyan Amazigh Supreme Council accused the unity government chaired by Abdulhamid Dbeibeh of "gathering armed formations to attack Ras Ajdir” border crossing with Tunisia.

Menfi, who is also the Supreme Commander of the Libyan Army, demanded the military units affiliated with Dbeibeh "not to move towards the West," ordering all militants who left Tripoli to return to their headquarters.

In the letter leaked to local media, he required unit commanders to follow orders and implement them as soon as possible, calling on the Army Chief of Staff and the Military Intelligence Department to take legal action against any violating unit.

Earlier, tensions arose between Dbeibeh and the Amazigh Council president, al-Hadi Barqiq, after the latter called on the unity government to "immediately dissolve and withdraw the joint operations room."

Barqiq called on all parties to demonstrate a patriotic spirit, warning against "any military action that would drag the region into unpredicted actions."

He also warned against reaching "a point of no return," describing the situation as an "existential conflict," especially since the constitution does not guarantee the rights of the Amazigh, who were not well represented.

The statement of the Libyan Amazigh Supreme Council, which named Dbeibeh as the head of the outgoing caretaker government, cautioned anyone against attacking Zuwara or its affiliated cities.

It warned that any military development could lead to a fierce war that would end the Amazigh's presence.

It indicated that the Amazigh are living in a state of security instability in light of the collapse of the Libyan economy, adding that they were surprised by Dbeibeh's attempt to gather armed formations to attack Ras Ajdir under false and malicious, baseless pretexts.

On Friday, the Amazigh civil and military components declared a state of emergency and maximum mobilization among all military battalions, positioning them along the Zuwara area.

According to the Amazigh Channel, the first military convoy of the Nalut Military Council entered Ras Ajdir, and other forces will be stationed inside Zuwara.

Local reports monitored a sudden disruption of the traffic system at the Ras Ajdir crossing on the Libyan side.

Dbeibeh ignored these developments while attending the North African International Conference for Ports and Free Zones in Misurata.

He stressed that port development and infrastructure development are one of the government's priorities.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Interior of the unity government began its "official control and monitoring over the Libyan border with Tunisia," announced Minister Imad Trabelsi.

Trabelsi warned that any illegal immigrant would be returned to his country, asserting that any migrant entering Libya and benefitting from its resources must arrive legally. He said that Dbeibeh advised him to refuse resettlement.

During his visit on Friday evening to the headquarters of the Anti-Illegal Migration Agency, Trabelsi confirmed that the agency's employees have significant responsibilities to limit illegal immigration, which caused huge debts due to the provision of shelter and deportation of those arrested.

Libya is set to host a two-conference on legal migration, entitled "Safe Mediterranean, Stable South," which will take place on Nov. 27 in Tripoli, with the participation of labor ministers from the Sahel and Sahara countries.



Sudan Army Says Recaptures Key State Capital

Sudanese civilians displaced by offensive south of Khartoum earlier this year dream of returning to their homes after the regular army retakes territory - AFP
Sudanese civilians displaced by offensive south of Khartoum earlier this year dream of returning to their homes after the regular army retakes territory - AFP
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Sudan Army Says Recaptures Key State Capital

Sudanese civilians displaced by offensive south of Khartoum earlier this year dream of returning to their homes after the regular army retakes territory - AFP
Sudanese civilians displaced by offensive south of Khartoum earlier this year dream of returning to their homes after the regular army retakes territory - AFP

The Sudanese army said Saturday it had retaken a key state capital south of Khartoum from rival Rapid Support Forces who had held it for the past five months.

The Sennar state capital of Sinja is a strategic prize in the 19-month-old war between the regular army and the RSF as it lies on a key road linking army-controlled areas of eastern and central Sudan.

It posted footage on social media that it said had been filmed inside the main base in the city.

"Sinja has returned to the embrace of the nation," the information minister of the army-backed government, Khaled al-Aiser, said in a statement.

Aiser's office said armed forces chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan had travelled to the city of Sennar, 60 kilometres (40 miles) to the north, on Saturday to "inspect the operation and celebrate the liberation of Sinja", AFP reported.

The RSF had taken the two cities in a lightning offensive in June that saw nearly 726,000 civilians flee, according to UN figures.

Human rights groups have said that those who were unwilling or unable to leave have faced months of arbitrary violence by RSF fighters.

Sinja teacher Abdullah al-Hassan spoke of his "indescribable joy" at seeing the army enter the city after "months of terror".

"At any moment, you were waiting for militia fighters to barge in and beat you or loot you," the 53-year-old told AFP by telephone.

Both sides in the Sudanese conflict have been accused of war crimes, including indiscriminately shelling homes, markets and hospitals.

The RSF has also been accused of summary executions, systematic sexual violence and rampant looting.

The RSF control nearly all of the vast western region of Darfur as well as large swathes of Kordofan in the south. They also hold much of the capital Khartoum and the key farming state of Al-Jazira to its south.

Since April 2023, the war has killed tens of thousands of people and uprooted more than 11 million -- creating what the UN says is the world's largest displacement crisis.

From the eastern state of Gedaref -- where more than 1.1 million displaced people have sought refuge -- Asia Khedr, 46, said she hoped her family's ordeal might soon be at an end.

"We'll finally go home and say goodbye to this life of displacement and suffering," she told AFP.