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TUNIS -Western Libya is currently the scene of rapid military developments and surprising moves that might redraw the map of the balance of power on the ground.

The previous status quo was shaken by recent multipronged attacks on the coastal cities of western Libya by Islamist militias and other Turkey-backed mercenary groups that have enabled Fayez al-Sarraj and his government to score limited victories in time and space.

Tunisian and Libyan military sources revealed to The Arab Weekly that Libyas western coastal strip witnessed two days of major military movements, especially in the town of Rigdalin, where hundreds of military vehicles and equipment were gathered, along with thousands of militia members loyal to the Islamist-aligned Sarraj government.

The build-up coincided with the movement of large military convoys equipped with heavy artillery towards the town of Jameel and al-Assa Military Base near the Tunisian border, which means that the town of Rigdalin is now serving as a concentration and mobilisation centre for militias and mercenaries given its strategic location.

The town lies on the Libyan coast at about 120km west of the capital, Tripoli, 10km south-east of the town of Jameel, and about 10km north-east of the city of Zuwara.

On the other side, the Libyan National Army (LNA) forces, led by Field-Marshal Khalifa Haftar, began re-organising its ranks and pushing important military reinforcements to the western coastal region. A large mobilisation operation was monitored in the city of Rajban. It came after Haftar met with the chiefs of staff of the land, sea and air forces devoted to assessing the military developments in the western region and planning response measures to any new attack on Watiya airbase.

These mobilisation activities on both sides herald a new round of military confrontations in the region, amid expectations that Islamist militias loyal to Sarraj, backed by mercenaries sent by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, are planning to launch a new attack on Watiya airbase, located 140km south-west of the capital, Tripoli.

These scenarios are justified on the ground by the fact that Watiya base was a tough nut to crack for the Sarraj government and its militias, despite their launching repeated attacks on the base for nearly two weeks with Turkish drones.

Officials of the Sarraj government said that their militias are now positioned on the outskirts of the base and waiting for orders to attack.

It seems that the Sarraj government, encouraged by its militias progress in the western coastal strip, wants to move quickly to take Watiya and thus gain complete control of western Libya. A couple of days ago, Sarraj vowed to take over the base. He made those statements after meeting with a number of his military officers, including Osama al-Juwaili, commander of the western region and the joint operations room, Muhammad al-Haddad, commander of the central region and Major General Abdul Basit Marwan, commander of the Tripoli region.

Some media outlets affiliated with the Sarraj government leaked reports that during that meeting a new plan was prepared by Juwaili to recapture the Watiya military base before the month of Ramadan, thereby ensuring control of the entire western coastal strip, and along the borders with Tunisia, especially the two land crossings Ras Jedir and Al-Dhiba/Wazan.

However, Libyan military sources raised questions about the accuracy of the leaks and considered them a new ploy to divert the LNA attention from the real goal of the current military moves. The sources pointed out that the closest and most likely target is the city of Tarhuna, which is still seen as a gaping hole in the governments plans to gain control of the western coastal strip.

The head of the Consultative State Council, Khaled al-Meshri, a leader in the Justice and Construction Party, the political arm of the Muslim Brotherhood in Libya, confirmed this hypothesis. He stated that the government controls 500km of the coast and is going to liberate the remaining towns such as Tarhuna." In previous media statements, Meshri said the military developments in the coastal strip give new importance to redrawing the geopolitical map of Libya."

Observers were not surprised by Sarraj government officials' newfound confidence. They linked it to ground developments brought about by increased Turkish involvement in the area. There has been a major influx of Turkish mercenaries, weapons and equipment over the past weeks, and Turkish officers are now running the operations. For all practical purposes, the battle is now directly between the LNA and Turkey.

Libyan political analyst Faraj Zidan said that the battle is now taking place between the army forces, led by Field-Marshal Khalifa Haftar, and the Turkish intelligence services, which are now leading the forces affiliated with the Government of National Accord." He added in television statements broadcast April 14 that the Libyans are now dealing directly with a Janissary force that includes a group or combination of factions, many of which are non-Libyan.

During the past few weeks, the influx of Turkish military elements into Libya under various labels, such as advisers and military experts, has accelerated, along with the influx of intelligence officers. The role of Turkish SADAT International Defence Consultancy Inc. and its mercenaries in the battles waged in the vicinity of Tripoli and the western region is now out in the open.

Jemai Guesmiis a Tunisian writer.

This article was originally published in The Arab Weekly.

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Turkey-backed forces alter balance of power in Libya | Jemai Guesmi - Middle East Online

CAIRO Libya's east-based military forces firing into residential neighborhoods of the country's besieged capital with heavy weapons killed three civilians on Friday, including an elderly man and a teenager, according to Tripoli health officials.

"The humanitarian situation is catastrophic, terrifying, really," said health ministry official Amin al-Hashemi.

Despite appeals for a freeze in the fighting so that authorities can confront the coronavirus pandemic, "the shelling has not stopped for hours, it is only increasing," he said.

On Friday, artillery rounds crashed into houses across from the prominent Royal Health Clinic in southern Tripoli, killing a 16-year-old boy and wounding his mother and two younger brothers, aged 12 and 8, said health ministry spokesman Malek Merset. In the Souk al-Juma neighborhood of Tripoli, one man was killed when a Grad rocket struck his home, and four others wounded, including a woman, he added.

Meanwhile, in a western Tripoli neighborhood, a 70-year-old man was killed and four members of the same family wounded when shells hit grocery stores and surrounding homes, said al-Hashemi.

The fighting over Tripoli erupted last April, when forces under the east-based commander Khalifa Haftar attacked the U.N.-backed government in the capital, trying to seize the city. In recent weeks, Hifter's forces have escalated their use of Grad rockets and artillery shells in Tripoli's densely populated neighborhoods, which by nature cannot be fired precisely and place civilians at grave risk.

The intensifying assault drew condemnation from the United Nations, where spokesman Stephane Dujarric appealed for a cease-fire on humanitarian grounds to slow the spread of the virus. The majority of Libya's 49 infections have been reported in Tripoli and the western city of Misrata.

The U.N.-backed government, which controls just a corner of the country's west, imposed a lock-down on Friday in its most sweeping anti-virus measure yet, warning that violators who venture out after curfew hours would be penalized. But while the virus may lurk in streets and public spaces, Tripoli residents increasingly do not feel safe in their homes either.

"A humanitarian pause is urgently required," said Dujarric, noting that the U.N. had recorded at least 131 civilian casualties, including 64 deaths, in the first three months of this year.

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Libya's east-based forces hit Tripoli civilian area, three dead - Stars and Stripes

CLAIMA graphic video of multiple bodies floating ashore is being circulated on WhatsApp with a claim that bodies of those who died due to Covid-19 infection are being thrown into the sea. The text shared with the video warns people against consuming fish or any other seafood as the consumer may end up contracting coronavirus.'; var randomNumber = Math.random(); var isIndia = (window.geoinfo && window.geoinfo.CountryCode === 'IN') && (window.location.href.indexOf('outsideindia') === -1 ); console.log(isIndia && randomNumber A loose translation of the Hindi text shared with the video reads, Do not eat any seafood because the corpses of corona patients have been thrown into the sea. The same bodies will be eaten by fish so when you consume the same fish, think what will happen to you.

Heres the screengrab of the query Times Fact Check received on its WhatsApp number. The reader wanted to know if the claim was true.

Here is the original post:
FAKE ALERT: Old video from Libya shared claiming bodies of Covid-19 patients are thrown into sea - Times of India

By Sami Zaptia.

(OCHA).

London, 15 April 2020:

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that if Libya is to have any chance against COVID-19, the ongoing conflict and attacks on critical civilian infrastructure must come to an immediate halt. The assertion came in its situation report published Monday.

Of Libyas officially confirmed Coronavirus cases (35), the report said that the majority are in Benghazi, Misrata and Tripoli. It said that the World Health Organization (WHO) continues to work with the Ministry of Health (MoH), the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and other authorities to ensure early identification of cases and their contacts, isolation of cases and quarantine of contacts.

Libyas immediate needs

The report said that Libyas immediate needs include support to rapid response teams managed by NCDC, procurement and distribution of personal protective equipment (PPE), establishment of labs and procurement of lab diagnostic kits and supplies, establishment and support to isolation sites and wards (within or outside public hospitals), provision of training, health education and awareness materials.

The ongoing conflict

Conflict continues to impact civilians and civilian infrastructure, increasing the risks of COVID-19 and hampering effects to fight the threat. In recent weeks, around 745 families (3,700 individuals) have been forced to flee their homes, particularly in Abu Sleem Municipality, and from the neighbourhoods of Salah Eddin and Al Hadba due to the deteriorating situation. The majority of those displaced moved to safer areas within Abu Sleem or to adjacent Hai Al Andalus, Tajura, Suq, Al Jumaa and Janzour. Most displaced families are reportedly staying with host families and in rented accommodation. Priority needs in displacement locations include food and non-food items, water, sanitation, hygiene, and health assistance.

The shelling of medical facilities

On 6 April 2020, as a result of heavy shelling in Tripoli, the Al Khadra General Hospital was hit, injuring at least one health worker and damaging the fully functioning 400-bed medical facility. All patients were evacuated from the hospital with the exception of emergency cases. The hospital was one of the potential COVID-19 assigned health facilities. Since the beginning of the year, there has been at least eight recorded conflict-related incidents affecting field hospitals, health care workers, ambulances and medical supplies, killing at least four people and injuring 12 others.

The water shutdown

On the same day, the water valves of the Man-Made River Project were shut down by an armed group in the southern region of Shwerif in Tripoli. Residents of the Greater Tripoli area and cities of the western region (particularly Tripoli,Tahouna, Bani Walid and Gharyan), home to more than 2 million people including 600,000 children, have been without water. These water cuts have coincided with power outages affecting many parts of western Libya and are likely to further result in disruptions to water flow in highly populated areas. Water systems in Libya have already been badly damaged as a result of the ongoing conflict. If Libya is to have any chance against COVID-19, the ongoing conflict and attacks on critical civilian infrastructure must come to an immediate halt.

On dealing with Covid-19

Strong prevention measures (border closures, restricted movement, closures of schools, restaurants, etc.) remain in place, some of which have been extended. Furthermore, only two testing laboratories (Tripoli and Benghazi) are capable of COVID-19 diagnostics and none in the South, creating significant challenges in identifying the actual number of cases in the country. Information on designated locations and hospitals assigned to care for COVID-19 patients consistently changes, largely due to refusals from communities or armed groups in those areas to have health facilities used for COVID19 treatment, as well as health workers refusals to care for COVID-19 patients because of insufficient protection, supplies and equipment.

The MoH has recently issued a decree transferring the management and financing of health services to municipalities. However, health services were already limited in municipalities and while they are on the front lines of combatting the pandemic, they lack funding, capacity and equipment to respond. Furthermore, many points of entry, particularly land borders, are not fully secured and lack capacity and resources for testing and quarantining. With up to 90 per cent of public health care services closed in some areas and vaccination services severely disrupted, the maintenance of essential health care services has been added as a new (ninth) pillar to the COVID-19 Health Sector Response Plan.

The ETS-managed Common Feedback Mechanism, which is supporting the NCDC by serving as a COVID-19 information channel, has so far received more than 9,500 COVID-related calls. During 5 to 11 April, calls doubled from the previous week. The majority of callers requested information while others wanted to confirm their symptoms.

Market shortages and price spikes

the report said that its market research partner, REACH, conducted a Rapid Market Assessment in Libya to provide a brief city-level overview of market functionality, with a focus on shortages and price spikes for basic food and hygiene items. The information was gathered between 30 March and 1 April from key informants in 21 cities across Libya.

According to the assessment, 48 per cent of assessed cities reported food shortages and 86 per cent of assessed cities reported food price spikes. Shortages of basic food items, such as eggs, vegetables and wheat products, were most frequently reported. Food prices spiked in the majority of assessed cities directly after COVID-19 prevention measures were implemented, with some locations reporting temporary price increases of 500-900 per cent. In some cities in the eastern and southern regions, authorities reportedly intervened to correct price hikes.

The report said that ongoing clashes, along with COVID-19 restriction measures, continue to hamper humanitarian access and the free movement of medical and other humanitarian personnel, as well as humanitarian assistance across the country. Many requests for movements between cities and for release of items in customs require individual authorizations to be negotiated with multiple parties.

It said that OCHA continues to advocate with authorities, including at the highest levels, for immediate and unrestricted humanitarian access for humanitarian personnel and assistance, for both ongoing humanitarian programming and COVID-19 response activities. This includes the removal of all restrictions and immediate importation of health supplies both for the COVID-19 response and other humanitarian assistance.

Libyas Coronavirus: A further 9 new cases announced yesterday

Water expected to return to Tripoli within 48 hours

The rest is here:
''If Libya is to have any chance against COVID-19, the ongoing conflict and attacks on critical civilian infrastructure must come to an immediate...

By January 1986 President Reagan had declared Libya to be an `unusual and extraordinary threat to the United States that had to be dealt with. Sixth Fleet now consisted of two carrier battle groups, USS Saratoga (CV-60) (CVW-17) having just returned from the IO, and Coral Sea (CVW-13), which had been on station for several weeks. Back in Norfolk, America (CVW-1) was preparing for a March departure to join them.

As told by Rick Morgan in his book A-6 Intruder Units 1974-96, Operation Attain Document, a large FONOP, began on 15 January. Libya placed its forces on full alert and declared that America was `practising state terrorism against a small, peaceful country. Fighter aircraft from both sides jousted over the Gulf of Sidra but there were no shots exchanged this time. A month later, on 12 February, Sixth Fleet returned for Attain Document II, its vessels sailing across what was now being referred to as `The Line of Death due to Gaddafis frequently dire statements. Through it all the two A-6 Intruder squadrons (VA-85 aboard Saratoga and VA-55 aboard Coral Sea) present conducted surface search and tanker support for both air wings. Attain Document III, which began on 24 March, now included the recently arrived America (with the Intruders of VA-34 aboard), increasing Sixth Fleets strength to 26 warships and 250 aircraft, many of which were now operating well into the Gulf of Sidra in what was clearly viewed as a provocative act by Libya.

Shooting started at 1452 hrs on the 24th when Libyan SA-5 missile batteries at Sirte launched SAMs at orbiting F-14 Tomcats. The US Navy responded with radar jamming and HARM shots. This pre-planned action, now referred to as Operation Prairie Fire, continued until evening when, at 2100 hrs, an E-2C picked up a single Libyan patrol boat headed north towards the three carrier battle groups. The vessel, the 250-ton French-built La Combattante II-class missile craft Waheed, was engaged by VA-34 Intruders, which fired Harpoon missiles for the first time in combat. A section of VA-85 aircraft followed up with Mk 20 `Rockeye cluster bombs, which finished off vessel.

While the Libyans continued to shoot he odd SAM at US Navy aircraft (none of which connected), at 2335 hrs a 560-ton Libyan Nanuchka-class corvette was engaged by Rockeye-dropping Black FaIcons, which held their Harpoons back due to friendly surface traffic in the area. The heavily damaged warship was able to limp back into port. Finally, on the morning of the 25th, another of the Soviet-built Nanuchkas was attacked, this time by VA-55 aircraft off Coral Sea. The vessel took a pattern of CBU-59 Anti-Personnel/Anti-Material bombs and then a Harpoon chaser from a VA-85 A-6E. The corvette, burning furiously eventually sank.

The identities of the two Libyan corvettes have been confused ever since. Official US Navy documentation says the first ship was the Ain Zaquit and the second vessel the one sunk the Ain Mara. The authoritative Janes Group, however, states that the two names are reversed, and that Ain Mara was the first ship attacked and would subsequently travel to the USSR for repairs and eventually return to Libya in 1991 as the Tariq ibn Ziyad.

It was at about this point that both sides backed off and separated to catch their breath. Saratoga departed for home and the remaining two carriers went back to routine business. The apparent bloody nose his forces had received did not stop Gaddafis rhetoric, however, and he vowed to (paraphrase) continue the struggle until victory. On 5 April a nightspot in Berlin was bombed, killing two American, servicemen. Libya was immediately implicated and the stage was set for the next action.

Ten days later US forces launched coordinated strikes into Libya itself. Referred to as Operation El Dorado Canyon, the event would involve Intruders from both remaining carriers and USAF F-111s flying out of Lakenheath, in Suffolk. Targets would be in Tripoli and Benghazi. VA-34 would strike the al-Jamahiriya military barracks in downtown Benghazi while the War Horses went after Benina airfield on the outskirts of Tripoli. The USAFs goal was Tripoli airfield and specific political locations in the city itself. Backing up those going over the beach would be a huge array of support aircraft performing defence suppression, MiG CAP, tanking and command and control.

With the UK-based F-111s having already been airborne for several hours, America began to launch aircraft at 0045 hrs on 15 April six Rlue Blasters and an equal number of A-7Es (armed with AGM-45 Shrike or AGM-88 HARM) made up the strike group. While the Corsair IIs would remain over water keeping the Libyan air defence forces heads down (they were ably to assisted in this role by the EA-6Bs of VMAQ-2 Det Y, which was also part of CVW-1), the Blaster would go over the beach.

As reported by Mark Morgan & Rick Morgan in their book Intruder: The Operational History of Grummans A-6, according to Blue Blaster B/N Lt Dee Mewbourne there were a few immediate difficulties:

We had some problems with getting good targeting information from the ship. There wasnt much in the intell library on Libya or the targets in question. Still, we planned a high-speed attack, launched under EMCON, and performed a very interesting high-speed rendezvous. We went in as low and as covert as possible. The SINS wasnt working and the radars werent lit off until we approached the coast.

We managed to fly past Benghazi; as we turned into the coast we noted the radar predictions didnt match what we were seeing. Aircraft one and three turned back north then east, and entered the target area as planned. The four others came in from the opposite direction and entered the target area as planned. The CO (Cmdr. Coleman, with Lt. Cmdr. Bill Frog Balls Ballard) dropped the first bombs and No. 2 did a visual delivery. We did a backup delivery and got good hits on the target, as did everyone. The last three aircraft used Offset Aim Points and plastered the front gate.

VA-34s Lts. Joe Kuzmik and Bob Ayres were in dash six; Kuzmik has similar recollections of their squadrons raid on Benghazi:

I was a pretty junior B/N in VA-34 and didnt expect to fly the strike. Wed spent a lot of time working up plans for a variety of targets, and only found out that the F-111s would be involved about two days prior. At that time we were told to expect only four Intruders over our targets in Benghazi, which left me out. About a day prior we were told to send six, and my pilot, Bob Ayres, and I were laid on as dash-last. The target was the Revolutionary Guards barracks in downtown Benghazi, which was directed by higher authority, as was the bomb load. Four aircraft carried 16 Mk.82 Snakeyes, the last two eight Mk.83 1000-pounders with high drag mine fins (true Snakeye fins being unavailable for the Mk.83 at the time). Our plan was to go in very low in a bomber stream, a series of aircraft in a line. We would be the last over the target and well after the Skipper, which meant the air defenses would be fully alerted by the time we got there.

We covey launched from America with three bombers chasing a single KA-6D, executed a 1000-foot night over-water rendezvous, took gas, and setup for the push time. This sounds a lot easier than it really was. After the push we went in at 500-feet and were at 300-ft by coast-in. We werent even feet dry when we could see the skippers bombs going off, as well as some AAA and at least two SA-2s airborne. This was still five minutes before our TOT, so we knew things would be fully stirred up by the time we got there.

Kuzmik and Ayres were absolutely right about the reception, as Kuzmik continues:

From feet dry we were 15 seconds to TOT, so we elevated to 500-ft AGL and I found the predicted radar points, The FLIR was down, which was no big deal, since I wasnt planning to use it in a fully lit-up city anyway. The bombs came off at the right time, and we made a 5G turn back to the water. Id never seen that much ordnance explode at night before, and that along with the flashes from our chaff squibs initially made me think we were taking a lot of AAA; or maybe even on fire.

It was during the egress that we ran into trouble.

He adds:

We got indications of SAM activity and started jinking. We ballooned up to 1,200-ft and immediately were locked onto by an SA-3 site. They shot at least two missiles at us. Im screaming at the pilot to get back down and move the aircraft, which he does, but not before one of the missiles passes right behind us, where it explodes. Ive never seen anything move that fast in my life from a dot on the canopy to a streak right by the aircraft: VERY FAST! Meanwhile, we were headed back to the ground in a big hurry, and we bottomed out at about 150-ft with a 5G pullout. Wed almost hit the ground trying to dodge the SAMS but had made it.

The Rob Webers Warhorses were scheduled to launch eight A-6Es from Coral Sea and strike Benghazis Benina Airfield, while Air Wing 13 EA-6Bs and F/A-18s kept the Libyan air defense units heads down. Two Intruders aborted after launch, in strict accordance with the ROE, the which required fully up systems to reduce the chances of bombs hitting civilian targets. The remaining six A-6s dropped their loads of cluster weapons dead on target and were credited with the destruction of three MiG-23 Floggers, two Mi-8 helos, and one Dutch-built Fokker F-27 turboprop transport. They also inflicted damage on several other aircraft and hangar facilities at the field while trashing the runways. Reports on the urban area targets were more mixed, but afterwards VA-34 reported:

(the squadron) struck Libyan terrorist barracks and aircraft storage facilities, inflicting over 70 casualties to the enemy and virtually eliminating Libyan MiG-23 spare parts inventory.

The USAF F-111Fs hit their targets as well, and benefiting from a much better video recording system than the Intruder carried, had their FLIR imagery featured on news reports worldwide a point noted by the US Navy. One F-111 was lost with its crew, while the remaining aircraft returned to England (with one diverting into Spain) alter an impressive 15-hour combat flight.

While the US Navy quickly stated that El Dorado Canyon had achieved its limited objectives, the US State Department would later say that Gaddafi continued his sponsorship of international terrorism a view that was supported by the destruction of a Pan Am Airlines Boeing 747 over Scotland on 21 December 1988. The violent loss of a French airliner over Chad the following year was also traced to Libyan agents. Nonetheless the US government still asserted that the United States had not only the means but the will to deal effectively with international terrorism.

Photo credit: U.S. Navy

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Intruders over Libya: former A-6 crew members remember their participation in Operation El Dorado Canyon - The Aviation Geek Club