The Libyan military will continue to maintain the critical path of Misrata-Sirte, despite the fact that militias loyal to Putist general Khalifa Haftar do not follow the terms of an agreement, according to a statement.
General Abdulhadi Darah, spokesman for the Libyan military’s Sirte-Juffra Joint Operations Center, told Anadolu Agency (AA) that pro-Haftar forces have not complied with the terms of the agreement reached after the 5 + 5 military commission on June 20. He noted that the pro-Haftar forces have kept their side of the road closed, but the military will continue to keep its side open to facilitate the withdrawal of Russian-backed Wagner mercenaries.
“If Haftar militias open the road without withdrawing mercenaries, we will close our side of the road and not open it until they withdraw,” the spokesman said.
According to the agreement reached after talks, the coastal road connecting significant population centers in the east and west of the country would be opened, while mines on this road would be removed for the safe passage of civilian and armed units. According to the agreement, foreign powers would also mainly withdraw to Tripoli and Benghazi.
On June 21, the Libyan interim government opened the road connecting the country’s long divided eastern and western cities, in the latest attempt to reunite the territories after years of civil war.
The coastal road has been closed since April 2019 after the East-based putschist general Khalifa Haftar launched a military offensive to abolish the capital Tripoli from the UN-recognized government. The reopening was a long-standing demand from the UN to enable the safe passage of civilians and goods.
In a symbolic gesture, Dbeibah rode a bulldozer and removed a sand barrier on the west side of the road, which he described as a “traffic artery.”
In one address, Dbeibah urged Libyans to brush up on divisions and join hands to achieve stability and rebuild the oil-rich country.
Libya has been embroiled in chaos since a NATO-backed uprising overthrew and later assassinated long-term dictator Moammar Gadhafi in 2011. Since then, the oil-rich country has long been divided between a UN-backed government in the capital Tripoli and rival authorities. based in the east of the country, each with the support of armed groups and foreign governments.
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