Egypt to Hafter: Cairo will not allow any threat to its western borders

CAIRO - 4 May 2020: Libyan National Army (LNA) commander Field Marshal Khalifa Hifter demanded Egypt's international support to stop the Turkish intervention in Libya, Al-Arabiya TV reported anonymous sources.

Haftar arrived in Cairo, Wednesday night, to meet a number of Egyptian high-rank officials and discuss the latest political updates in Libya.

The Libyan commander informed Cairo of his rejection of any negotiations with his rival Fayez al-Sarraj, the head of the National Accord Government, before withdrawing the militias and Turkish soldiers from Libya, the sources said.

The Libyan army commander renewed his request to lift the arms embargo on the Libyan army, informing Cairo that the Turkish army directly intervened in the Libyan battles.

Egypt affirmed its rejections of foreign interference in Libya and the need to dismantle the militias and stop supplying them with weapons, the sources said, noting that Cairo confirmed that it would not allow any threat to its western borders.

The announcement of Hafter’s short visit to Cairo comes following the Libyan National Army spokesperson Ahmed al- Mesmary statements on the arrival of a Turkish cargo ship at Misurata carrying military vehicles and weapons on Tuesday.

On June 1, Mesmary announced the restoration of Alasabaa town, western Tripoli, from militias affiliated to the Government of National Accord (GNA) which had overtaken the town on May 21.

Mesmary stated that the Libyan Armed Forces were able to take control of the town after a raid launched by the Air Force against militias on the Western Mountain.

Furthermore, the LNA announced on May 31 killing three field commanders of the militias protecting the Government of National Accord (GNA) southern Tripoli in clashes.

On May 29, Commander of LNA's Western District Mabrouk al-Ghazwi announced the death of 60 and the injury of 100 militants as they attempted to attack concentrations of the Libyan Armed Forces southern Tripoli.

The commander stated that at least 1,500 Syrian mercenaries were involved in the attack, according to the confessions of a captive.