In Libya, an escalation of the violence threatening. This includes the international allies of the counterparty. Try your ideas about the future of the country with the help of armed troops to enforce.
For his short visit to Libya, the UN had a Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres much. He pursued, with a view to Libya continue to be a target, he said via the short message service Twitter: to prevent a military confrontation. “I repeat that there is no military solution to the Libyan crisis, but only a political one.”
Since the uprising against Muammar al-Gaddafi troubled and in a number of political zones of Influence divided the country, the signs are pointing to confrontation. In the East of the country’s ruling General Khalifa Haftar had given to his troops on Thursday that the command to March on the capital, Tripoli. There, the internationally-recognized government of Fajis al-Sarradsch. Haftar had announced the “liberation” of the city. Al-Sarradsch then gave the Order for General mobilization of his followers.
In the interview: UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres and the Libyan Prime Fajiz al-Sarradsch
In view of the impending escalation of Germany had already convened a meeting of an emergency meeting of the UN security Council. In addition, the United States, France, Italy, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the United Kingdom in a joint Declaration, warned, you’ll have to drag each one to the responsibility of violence brochure.
“The beginning of a military escalation”
“This could in fact be the beginning of a military escalation,” says the political scientist Hosni Abidi, Director of the political research Institute CERMAM in Geneva. Haftars way in the direction of Tripoli run through the territory of the influential tribe of Bani Walid. This was refused by Haftar so far, the approval to travel through its territory. This attitude could mean a military confrontation. “Could have international implications and, possibly, the attitude of the West to influence. This could be pushing on an end of Haftars military action,” said Abidi in an interview with DW.
The latest development casts a new light on the journey of General Haftars to Saudi Arabia at the end of March. There he was received by Saudi king Salman in a conversation. According to media reports, Salman has stressed his guest to the interest of his country to a stable situation in Libya.
The Interests Of Saudi Arabia
His interest took Saudi Arabia so far, due to logistical and military support for the General. The Kingdom, the Libyan site “Libyaobserver”, was “one of the biggest supporters of Haftars operations in Libya”. Agreed, it knows itself in this concern with the United Arab Emirates and Egypt. The three links above all, a interest, you want to avoid that in Libya, socialist-revolutionaries, the Islamists win, according to the nature of the Muslim brotherhood the upper hand.
Riad’s man in Libya: General Khalifa al-Haftar
While the Egyptian government after the overthrow of the from the ranks of the Muslim brothers-born President Mohammed Morsi, a strictly against the brotherhood-oriented course, Saudi Arabia is on the ultra-conservative Wahhabism, in the country on the existence of the established order, with the family of Saud at the top of this order. At the same time, the country is going against the global jihadist movement, by which the king family is also challenged. These had used the state of decay in Libya, in order to be fixed. Khaftar prior to the determination against them.
Traces of the war. Scene from the city of Sirte, September 2016
At the same time, Haftar still arises in other ways in the services of Saudi Arabia. “He wants the relationship to undermine that have linked a number of political movements and parties inside Libya, with Qatar and Turkey,” says Hosni Abidi. In Istanbul as in Doha, the Muslim brothers are considered to be representative of a relatively moderate political-religious order, which takes on the social needs of the population sufficiently into account, so that the radical uprisings of 2011, absence in the future. This did not prevent the government in Doha in the first years after the fall of Gaddafi, to put on Islamist hardliners, who come from the ranks of the Muslim brotherhood.
The Performances Of Qatar
Meanwhile, Qatar sees the internationally recognized Libyan Prime Minister Fayiz as-Sarradsch a guarantor of a regulated Transition to a stable, social-mobile order. 11. March, just a few days before General Khalifa traveled to Riyadh, met as-Sarradsch in Doha to talk with Emir Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani. The two demonstrated cordial agreement. It was time, “Libya to enjoy security and stability and a Phase of design and development begins,” said the Emir.
When General Haftar’s moves against Tripoli, with the aim to cut the Connections of as-Sarradsch to Qatar. It is questionable whether he will succeed. “The two countries simply have too great a weight,” says Hosni Abidi. The proxy war in Libya could drag on, unless, of Saudi Arabia, Haftars most important ally, would reconsider its position. Because like the West a little. Just to the West but Saudi Arabia is striving after the scandal around the murder of the Saudi journalist Jamal Khaschoggi new, that is to say: better relationships.