Al-Bunyan Al-Marsous forces confirmed it thwarted, on Friday, an attack by what it described as “Haftar militias” at gate 17, east of Sirte, saying that the attack coincided with another attack from Daesh militias south of Sirte, according to the media bureau.
Security sources stated that groups affiliated with the army of the House of Representatives (HoR) that led by General Khalifa Haftar attacked the gate 17, 17 km east of Sirte, with Daesh fighters’ movements, were detected, Haftar and Daesh suffered massive losses.
Observers raised a question about Daesh existence that coincided with Haftar’s forces attack? Is Haftar seeking to transform the battle to Sirte to distract the attention from the Egyptian airstrikes in Derna?
Sources added that Daesh elements were detected months ago, are the same groups who fled Benghazi at the sight of Haftar forces.
So, did those groups started to move to support Haftar quest to make progress towards the capital city of Tripoli?
Those events occurred at a time when the Egyptian air forces launched air strikes against the city of Derna targeting, what Cairo said, extremist training camps linked to Al-Minya attack against Christians.
But Egyptian airstrikes were denounced and widely rejected inside Libya; some see its primary purpose was to support Haftar’s forces advance furthermore.
The sources pointed to the attempts by Haftar’s forces to push to the north and west, with the withdrawal of the Presidential Council (PC) affiliated Third Force from the south.
From its side, Misrata military council battalions and the Middle military area are acting wisely, waiting for a reasonable explanation for such moves and constant provocations by Haftar forces.
Close sources to Al-Bunyan Al-Marsous expected Egyptian threats via airstrikes might get much deeper inside Sirte or Misrata.
Haftar’s supporters say he is a legitimate power, doesn’t need to ally with Daesh, others confirm the coordination between Haftar and Daesh forces, as well as Haftar usage of mercenaries from Sudan and Chad, which is confirmed in a United Nations report.
Some see what happened in Sirte just skirmishes to provoke and test Al-Bunyan Al-Marsous forces willingness to fight. Some question whether Haftar can make achievements on the ground if he lost Egypt’s support? And if Cairo’s military support continued, will he win or lose due to such interferences?
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