Sirte-Jufra Protection Operations Room of the Government of National Accord (GNA) said military reinforcements arrived Saturday from different cities to Sirte to pave the way for starting military operations to retake control of the city.

The room said in a statement that military vehicles and heavy equipment as well as weapons arrived in positions in western Sirte to support Doroob Al-Nasser (Victory Paths) that GNA launched to seize Sirte and Jufra from Khalifa Haftar’s forces.

The commander of the operations room Ibrahim Baytelmal and spokesman Abdelhadi Drah and other military commanders received the new reinforcements.

Reuters said, citing eyewitnesses and military leaders, GNA sent fighters and 200 vehicles Saturday toward Sirte.

These military movements come amid speculations about GNA's intention to launch new large-scale military operations to retake Sirte and Jufra after negotiations for Haftar’s forces withdrawal had failed.

Pro-Haftar tribal elders and dignitaries met with Egyptian President El-Sisi and requested military intervention in Libya to hinder GNA's advance on Sirte and Jufra, but Sisi told them he meant with 'red line of Sirte and Jufra' a call for peace and avoidance of bloodshed.

Many Turkish officials, including Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, confirmed that Ankara would continue to support GNA until it regained control of all Libyan cities, stressing the need for Haftar's forces to withdraw from Sirte and Jufra before political negotiations start.