Libya: military movement banned after Haftar takes border Khalifa Haftar News

The statement came after forces loyal to Khalifa Haftar said they had taken control of the border crossing with Algeria.

The Libyan presidential council has banned any military movement across the country without its permission after forces loyal to the resignation of military commander Khalifa Haftar took control of the border crossing with Algeria and said it was a military zone.

“The Supreme Commander of the Libyan Army has announced a total ban on moving military units, regardless of their work, without prior permission,” Burkan al-Ghadab (Volcano of Rage), the media office of Operation. the government-led counterattack was launched last April in a Twitter appearance on Saturday.

“Moving military convoys for any purpose or moving personnel, weapons or ammunition” is also prohibited, the document says.

If necessary, it should only be done “locating or moving” military convoys “… and with the approval of the commander-in-chief,” he added.

Earlier on Saturday, a large military force loyal to Haftar claimed control of the southern border of Essen with Algeria, declaring that the move was a completely banned military zone.

The images posted online showed dozens of armored vehicles stationed in and around the crossing that had been closed for several years as a result of the Libyan conflict.

The move, Haftar said in an appearance Thursday, announced an operation to “capture terrorists and expel gangs of African mercenaries who threaten security and stability.”

Haftar is the first military operation by the Libyan National Army since the ceasefire was signed at the end of last year and taken over by the union government.

“Libya has had a relative peace since the ceasefire agreement was signed in October, so it is a very significant move,” Al Jazeera’s Malik Train said in a statement from Tripoli.

“It simply came to our notice then [since then] such a great military mobilization has taken place, ”he added.

Local sources in the south told Al Jazeera that the convoy that arrived on Saturday was made up of Tuareg fighters and forces loyal to former strongman Muammar Gaddafi.

Libya has been in turmoil since a NATO-backed uprising overthrew Gaddafi in 2011 and has finally divided an oil-rich country in the capital between a UN-recognized government and rival authorities in the east of the country, each backed by armed groups and foreign governments. .

In April 2019, Haftar and his eastern forces, backed by Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, launched an attack to try to capture Tripoli.

The 14-month-long campaign collapsed after Turkey increased support from the Tripoli government with advanced military hardware, troops and thousands of mercenaries.

The October ceasefire led to the formation of a provisional interim government, which was replaced by two opposing administrations. It is tasked with gathering the divided country and directing it through the December 24 presidential and parliamentary elections.

Trafik said the latest move by Haftar could “hinder elections and the peace process”.

An international conference on Libya is scheduled for June 23 in Germany. The event, organized by the United Nations, “involves foreign actors … who want to gather in Berlin to discuss Libya’s new interim government.”