According to local media on Thursday, the armed forces of Libya’s internationally recognized government are on guard against a “possible attack” by forces loyal to the rival eastern administration of the divided nation close to the borders with Algeria and Tunisia.
A military source told the Libya Al-Ahrar television channel that “Salahuddin Al-Namroush, the deputy chief of staff, has instructed army units to be on high alert and ready to repel any possible attack.”
Libya, a country wealthy in energy, has been in turmoil ever since Muammar Qaddafi was overthrown in an uprising supported by NATO in 2011.
It is divided between an opposing government led by military strongman Khalifa Haftar that rules from Benghazi and Tobruk in the east and the UN-recognized government in the capital city of Tripoli in the west.
Despite support from Egypt, Russia, and other countries, including some Western powers, Haftar’s forces were unable to take control of Tripoli in 2019–2020.
Private television network Libya Al-Ahrar said on Wednesday that Haftar-affiliated soldiers were “heading toward southwest Libya,” which is an area under the jurisdiction of Tripoli authorities. The report did not provide any other information.
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