The Government of National Accord (GNA) has launched a series of measures to apply pressure on towns and cities under the control of the Libyan National Army by cutting fuel supplies and funding for municipalities.
The GNA interior Ministry has also cut salaries of policemen in both towns under the GNA control and the control of the Libyan National Army (LNA).
Although these measures are aimed at applying pressure on towns so that they switch allegiances, it seems that such measures have backfired. Indeed, local youths hit by such sanctions have asked their respective towns’ leadership to retaliate by cutting access to natural resources or utilities that pass through their towns.
Policies applied by the Interior Ministry have been more hard-line than the rest of the GNA’s Cabinet. Any Interior Ministry employee deemed to have anti-GNA sentiments has already been sacked or suffered significant pay cuts.
Rhebat, a small town under GNA control in the Western Mountain, is one such places where policemen deemed to be pro-LNA have had their salaries cut.
These measures come as Mayor Hsen Ali Gaddafi of Shwerif, a town located in southern Libya, took responsibility for blockading water as retaliation for his brothers being arrested in Zawiya and GNA cutting funding for towns’ municipalities.
Youth in Sirte and Bani Walid are reportedly having heated discussions with their respective towns’ leadership, asking the latter to imitate the actions of Sherif and close water supplies on Misrata from the Great Man-Made River facilities south of Sirte.
It is worth noting that the GNA Military Spokesperson declared Western and Central Libya to be military zones, stating that trucks delivering food supplies through those areas must ask permission first or face being targeted.
This comes after the GNA targeted trucks supplying vegetables to Bani Walid and flour and wheat to Alasaba.