Libyan Gazette Weekly News Digest 08/08: Confirmed – UAE and Egyptian Government working with Khalifa Haftar

(Author: Libyan Gazette Editorial Staff) Mohamed Darat, a commander of the GNA forces, said on Wednesday that the US airstrike campaign against ISIS has allowed unity government forces to make greater advances against the extremist group. As a result of the airstrikes fired on Monday, Darat’s brigades was able to take over command of a neighbourhood known as Dollar. GNA …Read more.

(Author: Libyan Gazette Editorial Staff) US forces continued to attack ISIS in Sirte, Libya on Tuesday. President Barak Obama said the airstrikes is vital to the protection of US national security. Obama said that the airstrikes are intended to support the efforts of forces loyal to the Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA) to rid ISIS and establish security in …Read more.

(Author: Libyan Gazette Editorial Staff) Twenty-two people were killed and 20 wounded after a car bomb which was intended for security forces exploded in Benghazi on Tuesday, said a spokesperson for General Khalifa Haftar. The attack took place in the Guwarsha district, a residential neighbourhood that is prone to clashes between Haftar’s forces and other militia groups that oppose them. The Shura …Read more.

(Author: Libyan Gazette Editorial Staff) The Libyan unity government in Tripoli (GNA) announced on Monday that the United States launched its first airstrikes on ISIS fighters in Sirte. Prime Minister Fayez Al-Sarraj said an aired speech, “the first American air strikes on precise positions of the Daesh (ISIS) organisation were carried out today, causing heavy losses… in Sirte.” The Pentagon …Read more.

(Republished From: Al Jazeera) US warplanes have carried out air strikes on positions of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in the Libyan city of Sirte for the first time, the country’s unity government head announced. “The first American air strikes on precise positions of the Daesh (ISIL) organisation were carried out today, causing heavy losses … …Read more.

(Author: Libyan Gazette Editorial Staff) Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni said on Tuesday that the Italian government is willing to consider allowing the United States to use its Sigonella Military air base in Sicily in order to assist in its battle against ISIS in Sirte. Gentiloni said the US airstrikes against ISIS which began on Monday, are a “positive” step towards removing …Read more.

(Author: Libyan Gazette Editorial Staff) Intelligence Online, a publication that analyzes intelligence agencies around the world, published a document on July 27th saying that the UAE was endorsing French operations in eastern Libya. A UAE news site reported a meetings between UAE and French officials which was coordinated by Arif Al-Nayed, the Libyan ambassador to the UAE. The document outlined …Read more.

(Author: Libyan Gazette Editorial Staff) President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden on Thursday met the National Security Council for a debriefing of the airstrike campaign on ISIS in Libya, named Operation Odyssey Lightning, at the Pentagon. Obama and Biden met with Defense Secretary Ash Carter, CIA Director John Brennan and Cabinet secretaries. In a press conference Jeff Davis, a …Read more.

(Author: Libyan Gazette Editorial Staff) EU Council extends its mission in Libya to August 2017 and Approves Budget. The European Union announced on Thursday that it will extend its European Union Border Assistance Mission (EUBAM) by one year and allocated $19 million. “On 4 August 2016, the Council extended the mandate of the planning mission EUBAM Libya until 21 August …Read more.

(Author: Libyan Gazette Editorial Staff) The Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA) said it will distribute 150 million dinars, almost $110 million US, to the municipal councils on Saturday to assist in meeting the basic needs of locals. The money will be given to the municipal councils during this week, according to a post on the GNA’s Facebook page. The …Read more.

(Author: Libyan Gazette Editorial Staff) The Libyan pro-Haftar parliament, known as the House of Representatives (HoR), is denouncing US airstrikes in Sirte. The HoR, who are rivals to the UN-backed unity government in Tripoli (GNA), consider the US forces to have breached Libyan air space without prior coordination with the eastern parliament. Despite the fact the eastern parliament has not …Read more.

(Author: Libyan Gazette Editorial Staff) Britian’s Home Affairs Committee published a report on Wednesday that suggested to the European Union to create an agreement with Libya that will reduce the number of refugees crossing the Mediterranean Sea to Europe. Amnesty International said it is not possible for Europe to work with Libya at that capacity as the official Libyan government, known …Read more.

(Author: Libyan Gazette Editorial Staff) Over 120 bodies have washed up on the shore near the coastal city of Sabratha in July said mayor Hussein Thwadi on Sunday. Thwadi said that last week about 53 bodies washed up near the city’s shore on a single day and that most of the victims were from sub-Saharan Africa, with the exception of …Read more.

(Author: Libyan Gazette Editorial Staff)   Libya’s National Oil Corporation (NOC) is now on board with the Government of National Accord’s (GNA) plans to resume oil production from three oil ports.   The NOC said it “will now start working” towards reopening the oil ports in coordination with the GNA who is supported by the Petroleum Facilities Guard (PFG), the …Read more.