Libya, Feb 7, 2019 – A military push in southern Libya which strongman Khalifa Haftar says is aimed at rooting out “terrorists” and foreign fighters has sparked backlash from an ethnic minority and the UN-backed government. They include Chadian rebels accused of fuelling insecurity and taking advantage of the country’s porous borders to establish rear bases. The LNA in mid-January announced the start of an offensive intended to “purge the south of terrorists and criminal groups”, including rebels from Chad. But some fear Haftar’s offensive could re-ignite the conflict. That could thwart the ambitions of the LNA, whose offensive has garnered some degree of foreign backing, notably from France.

Source: The North Africa Journal February 11, 2019 01:07 UTC