Recent Background of Sabha’s clashes
End of last year, a couple of Tebu militants raided into the military governor’s office asking for sallaries. According to one of them, these units were not paid since months and rumors ran in Sabha about a split within the Tebu going towards Government National Accord (GNA). Further to this, Nasser Hamad Al-Qaddafa — an opposition leader — claimed that his forces overtook the sites controlled by the Libyan National Army (LNA) in Sabha. Few days after, an unknown armed group opened fire against Nasser Hamad’s house in Mashiyya district of Sabha. Five people were killed, including Tebu leaders of the Chadian rebel group ‘Union of Resistance Forces’ (URF) — led by Timan Erdimi who is based in Qatar. Al-Qaddafa tribe declared state of emergency after this attempt of assassination on Hamad.
As a result of these events, Marshal Kalifah Hiftar ordered Mohammed Bin Nayel — leader of the 12th Infantry Brigade — to deploy military reinforcements in Tamanhint airbase and a new batch of cadets joined Special Forces class.
Since years, men from Chad, Niger and Sudan joined rebel armed factions based outside their countries. In December 2017, Mahmat Bahar Bechir — President of Rassemblement Patriotique du Renouveau — together with four officers and militaries of Chadian army joined the camp of Front pour l’Alternance et la Concorde au Tchad (FACT) in one of their camps near Sabha. Before New Years Eve, several men with three Toyota cars, a dushkat and personal weapons, integrated the rank of URF. Furthermore, URF militants defected to Conseil de Commandement Militaire Pour le Salut de la République (CCMSR).
Since the beginning of January 2018, at least three people were injured while they were inside the Faculty of Arts in Hajara area; while three other persons were killed near the Nursering College. Adam Abdul Razzaq from Sudan, Mohammed Baki from Niger and a Chadian were killed by a commando in Mahdia district of Sabha. There was also reported that a Tebu man was killed in front of a coffee shop. Two Alwad Suleiman police officers were killed during the attack of their HQ by an unknown armed group. This was followed by a series of fightings with medium and heavy weapons. The number of these killings around Sabha seem to be strategically linked and maybe a clear effect of the regional and local tensions around the city.
Besides, Alwad Suleiman and Tebu tribes reached local ceasefire agreement but failed after a random shelling in Nasiriyah district having killed a Sudanese family. The same night, three Tuaregs were also hit by mortars and a woman killed by a sniper bullet, allegedly fired by a fighter belonging to the 6th Infantry Brigade — mostly composed of Alwad Suleiman tribe. On February 6, Tebu and Alwad Suleiman signed a new peace agreement but it has been broken two days later, after another mortar shelling dropped in Tajuri district. Later, elders from eastern region met elders from Southern region in Sabha; once again, this agreement was broken and civilians casualties went up.
Meanwhile, Hiftar issued a statement to integrate the 6th Brigade under LNA and established three battalions, all under a Alwad Suleiman commander. A statement published by Salem Al-Attaiby’s fighters denies them being under LNA orders but following GNA. As result LNA commander nominated a new head for the 6th. Then, Hiftar issued a new decision to establish the 300th Brigade under Bahr al-Din al-Rifi, a Suleimani once close to the Misrati Third Force.
Furthermore, a warlord called ‘Taher’ based in south Libya took dozens of armed four-wheels and headed Sabha with his troops. On the road they held checkpoints — as it seems a truck driver of goods, at a checkpoint claimed that foreign armed men asked him to pay a sum of hundreds LYD for continuing his way. This convoy moved a couple of days after the military leader of FACT, Abu Bakr Zlai was killed in the clashes of Sabha.
An intensification in the clashes was recorded after Usama Al-Marimi Al-Busaifi from Alwad Bu Saif tribe and Madi Omar Madi Al Futtaimi Al Sulaimani, close to the 6th Brigade, were killed. The latter was kidnapped and shot dead near the Faculty of Arts in Sabha city.
Several confrontations later, Mohammed Al-Manfour — head of LNA ‘ South Operation Room’ composed of Suleimani, Busaifi and others tribes — took part of the mission in south Libya. Meanwhile, Hiftar sent reinforcements in Tamanhint airport — warplanes and helicopters — and deployed battalions, including his recently formed Special Forces under Massoud Jedi’s orders and Salafist units. Other battalions based in Western Libya, would consider to take part of the operations.
Recently, the Secret Martyrs of Wau Brigade allied with the 6th took control in Nasiriyah district of Sabha of Sabha Martyrs’ Brigade HQ — who fought against the Islamic State in Sirte. Tebu militants from Sabha, Ubari, Murzuq, Qatrun and Umm Al Aranib are still fighting in Sabha.
Roberies, kidnappings of Libyans and foreigners, killings, are on a constant increase in the south of Libya. Reduction in human smuggling and increased competition amongst the handlers, has brought secondary effects with no foresenable improvement of life conditions in the area. It will be more difficult to resolve conflicts because when armed groups take control of a territory, they take also control of new incomes.
The movement of foreign fighters is very important in south Libya. Some of them have been living there since years now and main actors use them as mercenary forces, they take part in the local economy and communities however they’re not considered as Libyan in the eyes of many, including authorities — that is why they won’t have any voice in the future electoral processes.
