LNA statement
Ahmed Mismari, a spokesperson for the LNA denounced the ceasefire as a marketing stunt claing that the GNA was planning a offensive on the LNA-controlled city of Sirte backed by Turks. Taking aim at GNA PM al-Sarraj Mismari said: “There is a military build-up and the transfer of equipment to target our forces in Sirte, If al-Sarraj wanted a ceasefire, he would have drawn his forces back, not advanced towards our units in Sirte.”
Eastern-based Saleh government also called for a ceasefire
Mismari made no reference to a parallel ceasefire call also issued on Friday by the head of Libya’s eastern-based parliament, Aguila Saleh. Saleh has gained influence compared with Haftar since Turkish military support for the GNA forced the LNA to retreat from a 14-month offensive on Tripoli in June.
Al Jazeera commentary
Malik Traina of Al Jazeera reporting from Misrata in Libya said: “Previously in any negotiations or any peace talks in Libya, Haftar was a very significant member and very involved in these kinds of talks – and he’s feeling sidelined now.” Haftar also rejected a ceasefire agreement in January that both Turkey on the GNA side and Russia on the Haftar side both supported. The agreement was signed in Moscow by the GNA but Haftar refused to sign.
Traina noted that if Hafar’s foreign backers, Egypt, Russia and the UAE stop supporting him this could mean that the GNA could make advances or even that Saleh and al-Sarraj could come to a peaceful agreement. However Traina concludes that it remains to be seen whether this will happen. As of now, Libya still seems to be a proxy battle of foreign countries trying to extend their influence with Russia, Egypt and the UAE supporting Haftar and Turkey and Qatar supporting the GNA.
On Saturday, Libya’s High Council of State, an advisory body to the GNA, vehemently rejected any dialogue with Haftar. The Council stressed the need for a ceasefire and to end the state of insurgency and for the government to take control of all Libya.
In a statement the Council said:”Any dialogue or agreement should be under the Libyan political agreement, which regulated the mechanism of dialogue to be only between elected bodies.” The Council also called for resuming the production and export of oil which is the government’s main source of income. However, Haftar loyalists control the facilities. Unless the government is able to take control of the facilities militarily, it would seem that some sort of negotiations with Haftar or his supporters at least will be necessary.
US position unclear
Nominally the US supports the GNA which also has UN recognition. However like many GNA supporters the US support appears nominal and Trump has actually expressed support for Trump in the past leaving US allies confused about where exactly the US stands.
