Libyan National Army Accuses Turkey of Sending Terrorists to Tripoli

LNA members in Benghazi, Libya. (Reuters)
LNA members in Benghazi, Libya. (Reuters)
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Libyan National Army Accuses Turkey of Sending Terrorists to Tripoli

LNA members in Benghazi, Libya. (Reuters)
LNA members in Benghazi, Libya. (Reuters)

Libyan National Army (LNA) spokesman Ahmed al-Mismari revealed terrorist banners, belong to ISIS and al-Qaeda, supporters have started to emerge in the capital Tripoli.

Addressing a press conference Friday, he vowed that the LNA, commanded by Khalifa Haftar, will expel the militias from Tripoli in order to restore stability, security and the authority of the state.

Moreover, he accused Turkey of meddling in the battle by sending al-Nusra Front extremists from Syria to the capital to combat the LNA.

The LNA had launched on April 4 an operation to cleanse Tripoli of terrorist and criminal gangs.

Meanwhile, Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) chief Fayez al-Sarraj the United Nations Security Council’s failure to reach a resolution to call for a truce in Libya.

On Thursday, both the United States and Russia said they could not support a British-drafted resolution calling for a ceasefire “at this time”.

Sarraj warned that the failure to agree on a resolution may lead to “other consequences, such as ISIS exploiting instability in Libya.”

Separately, Washington announced Friday that Haftar had received a telephone call Monday from US President Donald Trump.

A White House statement said that in the phone call, Trump “recognized Field Marshal Haftar’s significant role in fighting terrorism and securing Libya’s oil resources, and the two discussed a shared vision for Libya’s transition to a stable, democratic political system”.

Mismari said Trump’s call showed the pivotal role of the LNA in fighting terrorism, Sky News Arabia reported.

Libyan and Egyptian sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that the phone call was mediated by Egyptian President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi, who had met Trump at the White House last week before meeting Haftar in Cairo on Sunday.

White House national security adviser John Bolton also spoke recently to Haftar, revealed Reuters.



Lebanese Red Cross Will Try Again to Remove Bodies from Israeli Strike Site

A picture taken from the area of Marjeyoun in southern Lebanon shows explosions over buildings in the town of Khiam, during Israeli bombardment on October 31, 2024, amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hezbollah. (AFP)
A picture taken from the area of Marjeyoun in southern Lebanon shows explosions over buildings in the town of Khiam, during Israeli bombardment on October 31, 2024, amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hezbollah. (AFP)
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Lebanese Red Cross Will Try Again to Remove Bodies from Israeli Strike Site

A picture taken from the area of Marjeyoun in southern Lebanon shows explosions over buildings in the town of Khiam, during Israeli bombardment on October 31, 2024, amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hezbollah. (AFP)
A picture taken from the area of Marjeyoun in southern Lebanon shows explosions over buildings in the town of Khiam, during Israeli bombardment on October 31, 2024, amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hezbollah. (AFP)

The Lebanese Red Cross will send another convoy Tuesday to Wata al-Khiam in southern Lebanon to search for and remove the bodies of 15 people killed in an Israeli airstrike, Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency said.

Paramedics accessed the site of the strike two days prior and removed five other bodies, but needed to return with larger vehicles to remove the rubble.

The NNA said the deployment is in coordination with the United Nations peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon, known as UNIFIL, which is the usual procedure.

The Red Cross did not immediately comment on the news, but expressed concern in recent weeks over several instances where Israel has struck in or close to areas where they have deployed paramedics to search for wounded people and casualties.

The Israeli military said it issued warnings to the residents there in late October to evacuate ahead of strikes on Hezbollah militant targets, and told ambulances to avoid the area.