By Abdullah Alkabir, political writer and commentator
On the anniversary of the aggression on Tripoli
Falls on these days, the 5th anniversary of the aggression by gangs and mercenaries of the war criminal, the naturalized US citizen, and former US intelligence agent, Khalifa Haftar, on the capital, Tripoli. The aggression began on April 4, 2019, with secret and declared international support, and for which the criminal mobilized his barbaric forces and gangs that are void of any national or moral instinct, together with African and Russian mercenaries. In parallel with the military campaign on Tripoli, mad factions launched campaigns on satellite channels and internet platforms justifying the aggression and providing justifications for bloodshed, violating sanctities, and destroying public and private property.
Despite all warnings about the suspicious movements of Haftar’s forces in the vicinity of Tripoli, during the few months preceding the aggression, and before that his control over some areas of the south under the pretext of fighting terrorism, the political and military leaders did not act, considering these movements as an undeclared threat to invade the western region all the way to the capital. Rather, they were reassured, waiting for the inclusive Ghadames National Conference, which the United Nations Support Mission in Libya was preparing for.
The irony is that the attack began while the UN Secretary-General, was preparing to hold a press conference in Tripoli, inaugurating and supporting the Ghadames Political Dialogue Forum. Indeed, this confirmed that Haftar had obtained American approval to launch the attack, and at the same time exposed UN fragility.
The free people in Zintan, Al-Zawiya, Nalut, Misrata, and other cities and villages did not wait for the political leadership to declare a state of emergency and full alert. Rather, they moved quickly to repel the attack, and within a few days the defense fronts were organized, the Volcano of Rage exploded, and the first surprise attack was broken.
In light of the inability of his forces to advance, the war criminal was reinforced with highly trained and equipped forces, sniper teams from the Russian Wagner groups in the Tarhuna front, with factions affiliated with Sudanese militias, and aerial bombardment carried out by Emirati warplanes.
At the political and diplomatic level, the countries supporting the aggression continued to obstruct any calls to stop the aggression or express its condemnation whether at the Security Council, the European Union, the Arab League, or the African Union.
Although, it is true that such condemnations will not stop the attack, and the request to stop the aggression must be accompanied by a threat from the UN Security Council, the obstruction of such calls to stop the war on Tripoli, revealed the political positions supportive and even assisting the aggression, militarily, intelligence wise and logistically, from some countries such as France, America, Russia, the Emirates, Egypt and Saudi Arabia, so the scale of international and regional mobilization and support of the aggression became clear.
There was no alternative but to seek international support to repel the aggression, so the Government of National Accord sought assistance from several countries, all of which refused except for Turkey, which found an opportunity to reshuffle the cards in the region, and in the Eastern Mediterranean, where the economic zone is located, by concluding two military, security and economic cooperation agreements with the Government of National Accord. The war criminal was furious with Turkey's entry into the front line, and he completely lost his mind to the point of announcing several times the zero hour to declare the onslaught on the centre of the capital Tripoli. This renewed announcement of the zero hour became the subject of jokes and scoffs on social media, as his forces were retreating in defeat, he appeared adorned with fake medals on his chest, announcing a new zero hour.
As usual, the masters of the fields and epics defeated the war criminal, his mercenaries, and his supporters, and inflicted on them a terrible defeat, followed by a disorganized escape for a distance of more than 600 kilometers.
Corporal Al-Mismari, spokesman for Haftar’s forces, described it as a tactical withdrawal that will be taught at the highest military academies and colleges. As usual also, countries supporting Haftar intervened directly to prevent his fall, its fighters prevented the Volcano of Rage forces from advancing, finishing off the criminal or pushing him to flee outside the country, and in order to keep the country hostage to external forces by continuing the political crisis and perpetuating the state of division.
May Allah have mercy on the martyrs of the Volcano of Rage, and hasten the recovery of the wounded and the bereaved, and shame and disgrace on all those who participated in this aggression, even if only by a word, shedding the blood of their fellow countrymen.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, and do not necessarily reflect those of the Libya Observer
