After the collapse of Haftar’s forces at the oil crescent region, Many questions were raised with no convincing answers. Observers believe that BDB called Haftar’s BLUFF.
Here are few reports pointing out the deteriorating situation within Haftar’s camp.
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Haftar’s position shaky after losing oil crescent
By: Abdulkader Assad
After the recapture of the key oil terminals at the oil crescent region by the Benghazi Defense Brigades (BDB), Khalifa Haftar and his forces found themselves faced with a predicament that they had not seen coming.
Radio France Internationale reported on Thursday that Haftar and his forces – along with his foriegn backup squads – have collapsed at the oil crescent region as they couldn’t thwart the operation led by the BDB forces.
“War drums are heard in Libya once again after a period of efforts aiming at peaceful solution to the crisis,” the French radio added, indicating that this is colser to reality in Libya now since the last efforts to hold a meeting between the Head of the UN-proposed government’s Presidential Council, Fayez Al-Sirraj, and the commander of the eastern Dignity Operation forces, Khalifa Haftar in Egypt had been turned down.
“France and the western Powers thought that Haftar’s grip is strongly weighing in into the Libyan crisis, however; we were surprised to see his forces fail to hold their position and lose them to the BDB forces.” The radio reported.
According to the report, many observers see it impossible for Haftar’s forces to regain control of the oil crescent, saying that the Libyan situation is fluctuating every minute.
“What is impossible today in Libya, can be possible tomorrow.” It remarked.
The BDB forces handed over the control of the oil terminals to the Presidential Council’s Petroleum Facilities Guard two days ago.
“Khalifa Haftar is now in a very weak situation imside and outside Libya. He is at odds with eastern tribes and other international and local civil societies and human rights organizations because of the travel ban he slapped on women and men under 45.” The Radio France Internationale’s report says.
It added that Haftar has embarrassed his Egyptian allies after he cancelled the meeting with Al-Sirraj in Cairo at the last moment, besides having new strong ties with Saudi Salafisits.
“Losing oil terminals might be the beginning of a dilemma for Haftar on the Libyan scene,” the France Radio Internationale concluded.
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Dignity Operation militants humiliate anti-Khalifa Haftar prisoner
By: Abdullah Ben Ibrahim
A video posted on social media on Friday showed Dignity Operation militants abusing a captive and forcing him to praise wannabe ruler of Libya Khalifa Haftar.
The video depicted a captive from Magharba tribe surrounded by more than four militants coercing him into saying “Haftar is my lord” while repeatedly striking him on the back of the head.
“Who is Haftar?” the militants asked the helpless man more than 10 times, while he was forced to repeatedly reply “he is my lord.”
The tyrannical act is similar to that of Syrian president Bashar Asad’s forces and former Libyan dictator Gaddafi’s brigades, observers say.
Dignity Operation launched a crackdown on opponents and conducted large-scale arrests in Brega and Ajdabiya following the march of Benghazi Defense Brigades eastward.
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Retired General accuses Haftar of recruiting mercenaries
By: Abdullah Ben Ibrahim
Major General Suleiman Mahmoud Al-Obeidi, the former National Transitional Council military chief, has accused renegade General Khalifa Haftar of forming an army of militias and hiring mercenaries to fight alongside his self-styled army.
Speaking to BBC Arabic, Al-Obeidi said Haftar has also recruited about 500 fighters from his Al-Furjan tribe.
“When Haftar was promoted to Marshal, about 7000 mercenaries from the Sudanese Justice and Equality Movement were fighting with him,” he said.
Reacting to the Return to Benghazi Military Operation launched by Benghazi Defense Brigades, Al-Obeidi identified members of BDB as Benghazi’s revolutionary fighters who were forcibly driven out of the city.
“I am leftist, I can’t accuse them of Islamic extremism and Haftar can’t defeat them alone,” he remarked, referring to last year intervention of two Arab countries “Egypt and UAE” to help Dignity Operation repel the advance of BDB forces.
This time, Al-Obeidi called the UN to impose a no-fly zone to facilitate the march of Benghazi Defense Brigades eastward.
“We are still under the 7th Chapter, those fighters are under the Government of National Accord,” he noted.
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