The Libyan National Army (LNA) has launched another military operation to secure and protect the southern region from Qurayyat town in the east to Ghadames in the west and Libya’s border triangle with Tunisia and Algeria.
The armed forces inspected the region to protect it and arrest any terrorist remnants fleeing the army strikes in the south.
Earlier this month, the LNA launched an operation to liberate southern Libya from terrorist groups.
The spokesperson for the General Command of the LNA, Ahmed Al-Mismari, said in a press conference on 14 January the operation aims to maintain the country’s unity, secure its resources, protect Libya’s north-eastern oil crescent from terrorists attacks, deliver humanitarian aid to southern citizens, and counter crimes as well as illegal immigration.
As part of the operation, LNA has gained control on strategic locations in Sabha, including Sabha International Airport and some military camps formerly seized by armed groups, according to a Friday statement.
After taking control of the airport, the southwestern city’s historic Citadel and the Mountain Hotel on Thursday, the military units moved south of Sabha to seize the rest of the military camps, which the Chadian opposition had taken as a safe haven.
Southern Libya has suffered from continuous instability and inequitable distribution of economic resources due to the collapse of state institutions since the eruption of the 2011 uprising, a situation exploited by many terrorist groups to carve in the south their footholds.
