Libyan Rebel General Continues Provocations Against Algeria

What the retired Libyan general, Khalifa Haftar, has done constitutes a provocation to Algeria, by declaring the “Issyin” border crossing between Algeria and Libya a “closed military zone”, a decision that lacks legitimacy and strikes the Algerian-Libyan interests, which began to be arranged with the legitimate government headed by Abdelhamid Dabaiba.

The spokesman for Haftar’s forces, Ahmed Al-Mismari, announced that “the movement of elements of his forces intends to secure the southwestern region”, a declaration for which the legitimate government did not find a justification, but considered the decision a violation of the powers of the institutions emanating from the Berlin Conference, which expresses the international will to restore stability in Libya.

Haftar’s move conceals a kind of provocation to Algeria, which explicitly announced its support for the former Libyan National Unity Government headed by Fayez el-Sarraj, and the current one led by Abdelhamid Dabaiba, which did not appeal to the man who proclaims himself commander of the Libyan army although he lacks capacity and legitimacy.

Previously, Algeria and Tripoli agreed, during the first visit of the Prime Minister of the Libyan National Unity Government, Abdelhamid Dabaiba, to Algiers on May 29, on several files, the most important of which is the opening of the borders between the two countries, and the role of Algeria in achieving Libyan reconciliation was also confirmed during the visit of the two Vice-Presidents of the Libyan Presidential Council, Musa el-Kouni and Abdullah el-Lafi, to Algeria.

Libyan strategic analysts, including expert Adel Abdelkafi, think that Haftar’s decision to close the borders falls within the framework of his quest to spoil the agreements signed between Algeria and the Libyan Unity Government, especially concerning counterterrorism, securing common borders, combating smuggling, organized crime, trafficking in arms and human beings.

Through this decision, Haftar seeks to impose his rebel character, as a partner for the Algerian side, as an alternative to the internationally recognized Dabaiba government, in controlling the border crossings with Algeria, by suggesting that he controls the other side of the border.

The Algerian-Libyan border extends for about 1,000 km, with many land crossings, including the Al-Dabdab crossing and the Tin Al-Koum crossing, which witnessed the crossing of the late Muammar Gaddafi’s family to Algeria in 2011, while the two sides were preparing to open the Al-Dabdab crossing, which is closer to Tripoli from the Libyan side, and Ain Amenas, Southern Algeria.

The adventure of the rebel general came about two weeks after the statements made by President Abdelmadjid Tebboune to the Qatari channel, Al-Jazeera, which explained what he meant by his statement in which he said that “Tripoli is a red line”, asserting that Algeria was ready to intervene in the conflict. If the foreign mercenaries approached the capital of the eastern neighbour; “When we said a red line, it was a red line, so the message was delivered and Tripoli was not occupied”, he added.

This is not the first time that the so-called commander of the Libyan army has provoked Algeria, rather he has on more than one occasion attacked Algeria, and claimed that its positions on the Libyan crisis are motivated by the motives of controlling the wealth of this country, a claim that turned out to be false later, while Haftar’s role was exposed when he brought in mercenaries who put their hands on the oil of the Libyan people in the east and south.