The US-backed “unity government” in Libya appears to be in crisis tonight, with an ongoing coup attempt in the capital city of Tripoli by militias loyal to Tripoli parliament Prime Minister Khalifa Ghwell. Fighting was reported around a major hotel out of which a lot of government business is conducted, and Ghwell has announced an initiative to “rescue Libya.”
Ghwell is one of three active prime ministers in Libya at any given time, as the head of the Tripoli parliament. He has called on Abdullah al-Thinni, the prime minister of the rival Tobruk Parliament, to join him in a “unity government” aimed at saving the country.
While a coup d’etat sounds like a huge deal, it’s unclear how major the forces involved in the fighting actually are, as the “unity government” has spent much of its existence in exile, and apart from some backing from the US has very limited capabilities, and only controls a fraction of Tripoli around the shoreline.
The “unity government” of Serraj is backed by both the UN and US as the “real” government of Libya, though the UN also recognizes Thinni’s Tobruk Parliament as the official parliament of Libya. Ghwell’s Tripoli parliament, made up mostly of MPs ousted during a heavily contested election that installed the Tobruk parliament, is not recognized, but has substantial power bases across the country’s west.
Ironically, Ghwell’s call to Thinni to join a new unity government is what the first unity government was supposed to do when the UN propped it up, uniting the two parliaments. That one failed, however, when neither side backed Serraj and the US started throwing sanctions around against everyone they saw as against Serraj’s ascent.
What happened to Gen Hifler.from McLean Va.
why no mention of the CIA LIbyan/American Gen. Haftar…????? I have been reading how he captured the oil and was reighning supreme….??????
Good question. Is this a mess or what? US trying to save a feeble group of imports to impose a government — brought in by a ship! To soften the Tripoli — first ISIS came flying on a majic carpet — from Syria to Sirte. Once presumably plyant — Tobruk General comes flying in all the way from Tobruk — another majic carpet. But General went rogue — or was this a plan, to sudddnly diss the Unity, and grab it all. But Tripoli only played dead — and they are back! Now calling Tobtuk — minus The General, to unite. Since Turkey and Qatar are still supporting Tripoli group + Sudan, what a fine mess.
But it is just as fine in Yemen. Ostensibly trying to bring back to power a president Hadi, who never wanted to be there — poor man is a Sunni from the South, and positively does not want to go to Sanaa. Yet — the war is about forcing unified Yemen when neither party wants to stay together. South wanted to suceed and North wholeheathedly approves! So what is the problem? Neither one of them wants Saudi Arabia to rule them? Rich families from Saudi Arabia have invested in their homeland in the south building up the port of Mukalla. North can defend itself high up in the mountains — but may be hard for them to keep lower places like Taiz. So US and Saudis should just get Aden, get Hadi a presidency and call it a day. But knowing our elite and their Shia hatred — they cannot let go of killing people in the north. People who fled from Saudi persecution over 1000 years ago, and managed to keep the same dynasty all that time — are to suffer from the same hate again? Because our elite has decided to spread the flame of hatred to consume them both? This is a crime. Just like Clinton’s destruction of Libya or Obama’s destruction of Syria.