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Haftar Vows to Bring ‘Final Battle’ to Turkey

Libyan National Army (LNA) commander Khalifa Haftar. (AFP)
Libyan National Army (LNA) commander Khalifa Haftar. (AFP)
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Haftar Vows to Bring ‘Final Battle’ to Turkey

Libyan National Army (LNA) commander Khalifa Haftar. (AFP)
Libyan National Army (LNA) commander Khalifa Haftar. (AFP)

Libyan National Army (LNA) commander Khalifa Haftar reiterated on Sunday his vow to confront Turkey in what he described as the “final battle”.

During an inspection of the Tariq bin Ziyad Brigade, he also vowed to defeat the mercenaries Ankara has brought in from Syria.

“The groups have no nation, no family and only seek to make money,” he said, while touring the forces’ preparations for the battle for the strategic city of Sirte.

Addressing the troops, he stated: “When you meet them in battle, they will act like mice as they cannot confront you.”

He added that simple observation of the mercenaries on television reveals that they have no fighting experience.

Haftar further slammed Turkey, saying that throughout its 300 rule of Libya, the people have seen nothing from it but evil, looting and murder.

“Even though the Libyan population is the smallest in the region, North Africa in specific, … we know how to expel them. This is the primary objective as we refuse colonization, which was brought about by the Turks when they handed over (Libya) to the Italians,” he continued.

Haftar added that all that remains is “one battle between us and the invaders. We will teach them and observers from afar a lesson.”

Meanwhile, a dispute erupted between Ankara and Rome over an Italian plane’s landing in the western city of Misrata.

The Italian foreign affairs parliamentary committee demanded clarifications from the Italian government after Turkish forces barred an Italian jet from landing in the city. The aircraft was transporting some 40 Italian military personnel.

Sources from the LNA said the incident revealed the extent of Turkey’ military control over Misrata. It accused it of turning the city into a logistic base for its military operations and the management of the GNA and mercenary forces ahead of the battle for Sirte.

Italy has deployed troops to Misrata under the excuse of securing a military hospital it set up to treat wounded members of the GNA forces. The LNA has repeatedly called on Rome to withdraw the troops, accusing it of supporting extremists.

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Arab World

Houthi Charges of Espionage: A Tool to Intimidate, Control the Population

Houthis demonstrate in the center of the capital Sanaa against American and British strikes on their positions. (AP)
Houthis demonstrate in the center of the capital Sanaa against American and British strikes on their positions. (AP)
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Houthi Charges of Espionage: A Tool to Intimidate, Control the Population

Houthis demonstrate in the center of the capital Sanaa against American and British strikes on their positions. (AP)
Houthis demonstrate in the center of the capital Sanaa against American and British strikes on their positions. (AP)

The Houthi militia has recently released several individuals it had abducted for celebrating Yemen’s September Revolution. However, over the past few days, it has detained hundreds of residents in its stronghold of Saada, accusing them of espionage.

The campaign coincides with the airing of alleged confessions from a purported spy cell and the abduction of a former employee of the US Embassy in Yemen.

Local sources in Saada province, approximately 242 kilometers north of Sanaa, report that the Houthis have launched a widespread campaign of arrests targeting civilians. These individuals have been taken from their homes, workplaces, and businesses under allegations of collaborating with Western nations and Israel. Families of those detained have been warned to remain silent and refrain from discussing the arrests with the media or on social media platforms.

According to the sources, more than 300 individuals, including dozens of women, have been abducted across various districts in Saada. The arrests have also targeted relatives and associates of Othman Mujalli, a member of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, who hails from the region.

The sources suggest that the Houthis are detaining women as hostages to pressure their relatives, who may either be out of the militia’s reach or living outside Houthi-controlled areas. They also appear to be using the women to coerce confessions from male relatives. Last month, the Houthis accused Hamid Mujalli, Othman Mujalli’s brother, of engaging in espionage for Arab and Western nations for nearly two decades.

In a separate incident, the Houthis abducted a former employee of the US Embassy in Sanaa from his home on Monday without providing any explanation for their actions.

Release of Detainees

The Houthis recently released Sheikh Amin Rajeh, a tribal leader from Ibb province, after detaining him for four months. Several other individuals were also freed, none of whom had been formally charged during their detention. Rajeh, a member of the General People’s Congress Party, was one of many political activists, students, workers, and public employees abducted in September for celebrating Yemen’s September 26, 1962, revolution.

One of the released individuals, a shop owner, told Asharq Al-Awsat that he was unaware of the reason for his detention. He had been abducted in November, two months after the Houthis initiated a crackdown on those commemorating the revolution.

Alleged Spy Cell

Houthi-controlled media recently broadcast confessions from what they claimed was a newly uncovered spy cell. The group linked the cell to its broader narrative of “promised conquest and sacred jihad” against the West and Israel.

According to Houthi security officials, the alleged spy cell was working to compile a “target database,” monitor sites linked to missile forces and drones, and track specific military and security locations. They also claimed the cell had been observing the residences and movements of Houthi leaders.

In response, the Houthis issued warnings to residents, forbidding them from discussing or sharing information about militia-controlled sites, facilities, or the whereabouts of their leaders.

The Houthis’ actions reflect mounting concerns over potential strikes targeting their senior leadership, similar to the recent attacks on Hezbollah figures in Lebanon. Those fears come amid ongoing tensions with Israel, the United States, and the United Kingdom, following the Houthis’ assaults on international shipping lanes in the Red Sea and missile attacks on Israel.