Benghazi Situation Update: 22–25 February

1. 22 FEB: LNA troops continued to advance in Hawari, capturing the International School, the al-Nahir Company, and the Commercial and National Bank. (LNA Facebook)(Twitter)(Twitter)(Afrigate)(Afrigate)(Libya’s Channel)
2. 22 FEB: Ansar al-Sharia released another series of statements detailing military operations in Benghazi. The group claimed to have destroyed an LNA tank in Sidi Faraj, seized three armored vehicles in Buatni, destroyed a T-52 [SIC] tank in Hawari, and captured LNA troops in Buhedema. [Analyst Note: This level of detail is only occasionally provided by Ansar al-Sharia, so it is difficult to determine whether this represents an uptick in military operations. Previous “Weekly Harvest” summaries did provide similar granularity and reported roughly equivalent events. Additionally, the group claimed to have destroyed a T-52, a non-existent variant] (Ansar al-Sharia Statement)(Ansar al-Sharia Statement)(Ansar al-Sharia Statement)(Ansar al-Sharia Statement)(Ansar al-Sharia Statement)

3. 23 FEB: The LNA claimed full control over the Laithi and Buatni Districts, as forces took complete control of the Hijaz Street and additional areas in Laithi. LNA Saiqa troops seized the Battalion 319 and Saiqa 39 Camps and the Abu Bakr Younis al-Jaber Farm in the Buatni District and prepared to storm the Qatar neighborhood linking Laithi and Buatni. LNA soldiers released a number of videos of fighters celebrating the “liberation” of Laithi.(Libyan News 1)(LNA Statement)(al-Wasat)(Afrigate)(al-Wasat)(Libya’s Channel)(Akhbar Libya 24)(LNA Statement)(Video)(Video)(Video)(Twitter)(Twitter)(Facebook)(Twitter)

4. 23 FEB: LNA forces launched attacks against IS and SCBR forces in the Sabri and Souq al-Hout districts in Benghazi, with the LNA claiming its Naval Special forces and infantry units bombarded the Regency Hotel in Sabri, from the north off of the coast and east interior of the city, respectively, and are awaiting orders for a full-scale assault on the city districts. IS released a statement claiming its forces repelled the LNA forces attempting to take Sabri. (Libyan News 1)(IS Wilayat Barqa Media Office)(Libya’s Channel)(Libya’s Channel)(al-Wasat)

5. 23 FEB: SCBR forces claimed to have destroyed two LNA tanks in the Sidi Faraj District of Benghazi, as LNA aircraft bombed the district. (Libya Panorama Channel)

6. 23 FEB: LNA units and local supporting forces seized control of the Rafallah al-Sahati Battalion Camp and the Hawari Cement Factory in the Hawari District of Benghazi, two major SCBR positions in the district. (LNA Statement)(Akhbar Libya 24)(Libya 24 TV)(Afrigate)

7. 24 FEB: Conflicting reports emerged regarding the status of the Benghazi district of Sabri. Local reports indicated that the LNA cleared the area of IS and SCBR fighters, but those claims were later retracted. The LNA continues to fight heavily for the district which along with Souq al-Hout, Qanfouda and Qarwarsha are the only major areas under Islamist control. The GNC and the Tripoli-based Grand Mufti have condemned the LNA operation. (Twitter)(Twitter)(Twitter)(Twitter)(Libya Herald)(Afrigate)(Akhbar Libya 24)(Afrigate)(Libya Observer)(Libya Observer)

8. 24 FEB: International media reported that 15 members of a French special forces team are operating in Benghazi, headquartered in the Benina Airport. Some sources even claimed that the French were engaging Islamist fighters on the front line. The HoR denied that any foreign troops were fighting with the LNA. (Twitter)(ABC)(AP)(Libya al-Hurra)

9. 25 FEB: The LNA continued to advance in Benghazi as Battalion 302 seized the Libya Shield 1 Camp in Qanfouda from Wissam Ben Hamid’s Free Libya Martyrs’ Battalion and stormed the Chinese Company. Separate sources claimed that LNA troops were advancing into the Cement Factory in south Hawari. The Islamic State released a statement claiming to have repelled an LNA attack in the Zarirayat area of Sabri destroying a number of tanks and armored vehicles. (IS Media Office of Barqa)(Twitter)(Twitter)(Twitter)(al-Wasat)(al-Wasat)(Libya Herald)(Libya 24 TV)(LNA Video)(LNA Video)