By RFIPalled on 04-23-2019Today the 23-04-2019 to 22:14
The self-proclaimed Libyan Arab National Army has announced the imminent arrival of troops from their base in the east of the country to accelerate the takeover of Tripoli. At the origin of the offensive, Haftar wanted to rely on the fighters of the cities surrounding the capital and acquired his cause. A strategy that has failed in view of the stabilization of combat zones for several days. Conscious of the danger of the arrival of fresh forces, pro-government officials in Tripoli are trying to convince neighboring cities to withdraw from the clashes as is the case on the strategic front-line of the southeast.
Government forces in Tripoli expect that any reinforcements from Haftar will pile up on the south-east front, the first on their way.
To avoid an imbalance of forces, military officials loyal to the Tripoli government made contact with the leaders of the city of Tarhouna, 80 km south of the front, whose brigades are the main forces of Haftar.
The latter would agree to lay down their arms and no longer attack Tripoli and its allies provided that their fighters are not taken prisoner, that they do not have to apologize publicly and that no brigades from other cities enters Tarhouna. Unacceptable conditions for Mohamed Ali Salem, the commander of a pro-Tripoli unit. For him, there is no question of letting enemy fighters go and not controlling access to Tarhouna to avoid a new attack.
But the stake could be right of these reluctances of the military. The south-east front is a strategic lock: if Haftar's forces blow it up, they will have a direct supply line between their eastern base and Tripoli; in the opposite case, they will have to make an even bigger detour to approach the capital.
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