LibyaPolitics

US backs fights al-Qaeda in Libya, ignores IS: observers

The U.S. intervenes in Libyan affairs through U.S. Africa Command (Africom), which chases al-Qaeda, only in the western region where the Presidency Council is based without taking any action against the Islamic State (IS) in Libya’s eastern or southern regions, some observers have remarked.

Amid international interventions in Libya from the part of the U.S., Italy and France, some observers believe that these interventions have several forms: a political form that is biased to a certain Libyan party, or a direct or indirect physical form related to security and military issues.

They remarked that the U.S. has backed the west-based Presidency Council through conducting airstrikes against al-Qaeda while no support has been provided to the Libyan National Army (LNA), led by Khalifa Haftar, during its war against IS militants in eastern and central Libya.

The latest Africom airstrike was launched on Thursday against al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), near al-Uwaynat town, located at Libyan’s southwestern desert. killing 11 terrorists.

Exploiting the lack of security in Libya’s southern region since the ousting of Muammer Gaddafi in 2011, some jihadists linked to Al-Qaeda or IS have taken havens in the southern region.

On the other hand, France has supported Haftar militarily by deploying special forces to the oil-rich eastern part of the country to combat the terrorists, particularly in the capital Tripoli.

France has been involved in Haftar’s alleged war on terror in Benghazi and the rest of the eastern region.

Lately, France hinted its support to Haftar for his intended military operations to control Tripoli, London-based Al-Arab newspaper reported Nov. 24, citing sources close to Haftar.

The newspaper said Haftar met with French officials on the sidelines of Palermo Conference, held Nov. 12-13 in Italy, to discuss his intent to militarily advance on Tripoli and liberate it from militias.

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