The Libyan National Army (LNA) has begun “a wide and comprehensive military operation in the south of the country to impose security, the Commander of Southern Operations and the Sebha Military Region, Major General Al-Mabrouk Sahban said.
The Libyan Commander added that, the first phase of the military operation will target all violators participating in random construction, drug trafficking, smuggling, illegal immigration, and armed groups.
The second phase is set to target illegal fuel stations, which distribute smuggled fuel at exorbitant prices. The phase will not start until fuel is available at all stations licensed by the Libyan state.
“Distributing fuel to the Sebha oil depot is unfair due to the lack of adequate control over the distribution stations. This is in addition to the manipulation of distribution stations by several parties,” Sahban said. He stressed that there are efforts by the LNA aimed at delivering fuel to all Libyans.
In an interview with Al-Ain News, he added that they are showing great interest in the Murzuq Basin. As several meetings have been held for a comprehensive settlement between the parties of the city.
On Thursday, the Libyan Army announced that it has closed its southern borders with Chad and Sudan until further notice, according to the Subul Al-Salam Brigade.
The brigade called on vehicle and truck drivers to abide by this decision, “to preserve their safety at the present time.”
On Wednesday, Kingabe Ogouzeimi de Tapol, a Spokesman for the Front for Change and Concord in Chad (FACT), said that many Chadian rebels are still present in Libya.
In an interview with the Italian news agency, Nova,
De Tapol said that “they understand the need to return. In the past, we were in Libya to fight ISIS, but today we know that we must go back to our country.”
He expressed his regret that elections were not held in Libya.
According to Nova, many Chadian rebels remain in Libya, as they are threatened by the government, and are unable to return to Chad.
De Tabol stressed that Chadian militants “are not present in Libya to support one party against another.”
Last week, Egyptian President, Abdel-Fatah El-Sisi met with the head of the Transitional Military Council of Chad, Mohamed Idris Deby in Cairo. They discussed the political and security situation in Libya, and its repercussions on regional security and stability.
They agreed on the need for the political process in Libya, to include a clear mechanism for the withdrawal of all mercenaries and foreign forces from the country. They also stressed the need to ensure that weapons and military equipment belonging to mercenaries, are not smuggled into neighbouring states.
On 28 August, Deputy Head of the Libyan Presidential Council, Musa Al-Koni visited Chad, and agreed with Deby on the need to withdraw Chadian forces from Libyan territory.
Al-Koni and Deby agreed that “the continued presence of those fighters in southern Libya poses a threat and danger to the security and stability of Libya, as it is a threat to the security and stability of Chad.”
The two sides called for “the necessity of activating the quadripartite security agreement that was signed between Chad, Libya, Niger, and Sudan.”