Feb.18, 2020
Gen. Khalifa Hafter and his Libyan National Army (LNA) attacked the Tripoli sea port on Tuesday, along with a Turkish military ship that was heading into the port with a delivery of weapons and other equipment for their military mission backing the Government of National Accord (GNA).
The GNA responded by pulling out of the ongoing ceasefire talks in Geneva. They threatened further measures against the LNA and warned that if the attack had damaged a gas tanker in the port they could’ve caused a humanitarian disaster.
The LNA has been trying to conquer Tripoli since April, the latest in a line of Hafter-led coup attempts. This is by far the longest-lasting coup bid, and the LNA is controlling a lot of the country at this point.
The LNA is being backed internationally by a number of nations, primarily Egypt and the UAE, while the GNA’s only major backer, beyond nominal UN recognition, is Turkey. Turkey has committed to sending military force to aid them, and so far has dispatched Syrian rebels to the country.
Published at https://news.antiwar.com/2020/02/18/libyan-govt-suspends-peace-talks-after-tripoli-port-attack/
