Libya: Haftar's militia attacks army camp near Sharara oil field

The Libyan Army yesterday announced that the militia of coup General Khalifa Haftar launched an attack on a government-controlled camp in the city of Ubari, south of Tripoli.

A spokesman for the Sirte-Jufra Operations Room, Abdel Hadi Dara, told Anadolu Agency that “a faction of Haftar’s militia attacked the Ali Kanna camp, before being forced to retreat by the [Government of National Accord] GNA forces during brief clashes.”

Member of the Ubari Operations Room, Majdi Bouhena, told Anadolu Agency: “The attacking force came from the city of Sabha and was stationed in Al-Jarma region, Ubari.”

“The attackers are now besieging the area, and demanded the camp be handed over,” Bouhena explained.

He stressed that “they [the army] will not surrender the camp and will respond to any new attack.”

This is the first attack launched by Haftar’s militia on the Ali Kanna camp since the liberation of the capital, Tripoli, in May.

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The Tuareg-majority town of Ubari is controlled by Haftar’s militia and contains the Sharara oil field, the largest in the country.

On 28 November, Haftar’s militia demolished civilian homes in Ubari and kidnapped a number of young men, according to a statement by the Libyan Army.

The new violation of the ceasefire by Haftar’s militia comes despite the progress achieved by parties to conflict in negotiations at the military and political levels to reach a peaceful solution to the bloody conflict.

For years, the oil-rich country has been witnessing an armed conflict, as Haftar’s militia, with the support of Arab and Western countries, contests the Libyan government over legitimacy and authority, which resulted in civilian deaths and injuries, along with massive material damage.

The Libyan oil and Haftar – Cartoon [Sabaaneh/MiddleEastMonitor]