Libya: 'Al-Wefaq takes controls new positions from Haftar forces'

Libya’s internationally-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) announced on Sunday a major ground offensive against retired Major General Khalifa Haftar and taking control of new positions.

In a statement posted by “February Channel” (Libyan private) on its Facebook page: “The progress of the Volcano of Anger (belonging to the GNA forces) was monitored in the Ain Zara axis south of the capital Tripoli and its control on Al-Abyar road (about 70 kilometres east of Benghazi) as well as Taiba Mosque.”

The channel quoted the commander of the Morsi battalion Colonel Jamal Triki as saying: “Our forces are controlling new positions in the axis of Ain Zara.”

In a second statement, the channel revealed that it “has been monitoring the progress of soldiers of the Volcano of Anger at the expense of Haftar militia in the axis of Tawisha in Tripoli.”

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In a related context, the counter-terrorism force (belonging to the GNA) condemned targeting one of its headquarters by the Emirati drones supporting Haftar.

In a videotaped statement read by an unnamed counter-terrorism force commander, broadcasted on the channel, the force accused Haftar of “supporting Daesh.”

Last September, the GNA filed a complaint against the UAE before the UN Security Council for “hostility and supporting attempts to overthrow the legitimate government.”

The GNA equally accused, at the end of September, Emirati drones of bombing “vital civilian targets” in the city of Sirte (450 km east of Tripoli) while the UAE keeps silent about such accusations.

Since April 4, Hafter’s forces have been conducting a stalled offensive to seize control of the capital Tripoli, the headquarters of the GNA.