Libya's combatants are readying for a long conflict, as foreign weapons flo...
CAIRO/BENGHAZI, Libya - Libya’s combatants are readying for a long conflict, as foreign weapons flood in, tribesmen close oil ports and rival alliances wrangle over revenues from Africa’s largest petroleum reserves.
He is an ally of Commander Khalifa Haftar, whose self-styled Libya National Army also has the support of Egypt, the United Arab Emirates , Jordan and Russian mercenaries as it tries to capture the capital Tripoli. “There will be a major escalation. We have other things to use at the time. If it comes to it, the world knows what escalation is,” he told Reuters in the main eastern city of Benghazi, without saying what any escalation would involve.The standoff over oil is only one of several factors that could prolong the almost year-long conflict over the capital, where the GNA last month secured military backing from Turkey including Turkish-backed fighters from Syria.
Until Turkey’s intervention, Tripoli officials had started to panic they might lose the capital, the diplomats said. Turkey has sent heavy trucks by sea, while the UAE flew in 89 shipments totaling 4,680 metric tons between Jan 12 and Feb 16, according flight tracking data and a security source. The UAE did not immediately respond to a request for comment.Newly-shipped big guns are already making their presence felt, as shelling from long-range artillery blamed on the LNA hit the city center for the first time this week.
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