Egyptian intervention in Libya (2015–2020)

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Egyptian intervention in Libya (2015–2020)
Part of the Libyan civil war (2014–2020) and the War against the Islamic State
Libyan Civil War.svg
The situation in June 2020
Date12 February 2015 – 26 October 2020 [1]
Location
Libya, with spillovers in Egypt
Result

Ceasefire; [1]

Belligerents

Flag of Egypt.svg  Egypt
Flag of the United Arab Emirates.svg  United Arab Emirates [5] [6] [7] [8]
Flag of Chad.svg  Chad [9]
In Support of:
Flag of Libya.svg Tobruk Government
Supported by:
Flag of Greece.svg  Greece [10]

Contents

Flag of France.svg  France [11]
Islamic State flag.svg  ISIL [12]

Flag of Libya.svg Government of National Accord
Flag of Turkey.svg  Turkey [10]
Supported by:

Flag of Qatar.svg  Qatar [13]
Units involved

Flag of the Army of Egypt.svg Egyptian Armed Forces

Flag of the UAE Army.svg United Arab Emirates Armed Forces

Flag of Chad.svg Chad National Army

Islamic State flag.svg Military of ISIL

Flag of the Libyan Ground Forces.svg  Libyan Ground Forces (GNA-aligned)
Flag of Turkey.svg Turkish Armed Forces

The Egyptian intervention in Libya has been substantial since the beginning of the Libyan civil war. The intervention started after the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) released a video of the beheading of 21 Egyptians on 12 February, 2015. In response, Egypt launched airstrikes on 16 February, that same year. After that incident, Egypt became increasingly involved with Libya's internal politics.

Timeline

2015

On 12 February, ISIL released a video of the group beheading Coptic Christians, all of which were Egyptians. On 16 February 2015, Egyptian F-16s struck weapons caches and training camps of the Islamic State (ISIS) in Libya. The air strikes killed 64 ISIS fighters, including three leaders in Derna and Sirte on the coast. [15] 55 were captured in ground assaults. [16] 7 civilians were also killed by the air strike. [17]

2018

Egypt and the UAE carried out multiple airstrikes in Derna in May, June, and September against ISIL. [18] [19] However, the Libyan Express released a video alleging that Egyptian soldiers were at the front line alongside the Libyan National Army. [20]

2019

On 5 April, Egypt expressed its deep concern over a campaign in Tripoli and urged all sides to avoid escalation. Egypt also announced its commitment to UN efforts to find a political solution to the Libyan Crisis, adding that a political solution is the only option. [21] On 9 April, Egypt expressed support for the Libyan National Army and its push to dismantle all remaining militias, and also cautioned against foreign intervention in the conflict. [22] On 14 April, President of Egypt, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, met with LNA Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar in Cairo [23] and announced his support for the LNA's counterterrorism efforts, stating that "the fight toward terrorism"..."allows the establishment of a stable and sovereign civil state, and will start the reconstruction of Libya in various fields." [24]

2020

On 5 July, Egyptian warplanes hit a site where Turkey was allegedly building a military base. [25]

On 19 July, The Egyptian President made public threats to the Government of National Accord (GNA) that Egypt would deploy troops if Sirte were to be captured, which was viewed by the GNA as a declaration of war. [26] The next day, Egypt deployed an undisclosed number of troops into Libya. Many politicians and news sources say due to Turkish military intervention in Libya from earlier in 2020.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sirte</span> Place in Tripolitania, Libya

Sirte, also spelled Sirt, Surt, Sert or Syrte, is a city in Libya. It is located south of the Gulf of Sirte, almost right in the middle between Tripoli and Benghazi. It is famously known for its battles, ethnic groups and loyalty to Muammar Gaddafi. Due to developments in the First Libyan Civil War, it was briefly the capital of Libya as Tripoli's successor after the Fall of Tripoli from 1 September to 20 October 2011. The settlement was established in the early 20th century by the Italians, at the site of a 19th-century fortress built by the Ottomans. It grew into a city after World War II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Libyan Air Force</span> Air warfare branch of Libyas armed forces

The Libyan Air Force is the branch of the Libyan Armed Forces responsible for aerial warfare. In 2010, before the Libyan Civil War, the Libyan Air Force personnel strength was estimated at 18,000, with an inventory of 374 combat-capable aircraft operating from 13 military airbases in Libya. Since the 2011 civil war and the ongoing conflict, multiple factions fighting in Libya have been in possession of military aircraft. As of 2019, the Libyan Air Force is nominally under the control of the internationally recognised Government of National Accord in Tripoli, though the rival Libyan National Army of Marshal Khalifa Haftar also has a significant air force. In 2021, the air force was under command of the new President of Libya, Mohamed al-Menfi that replaced Fayez al-Sarraj.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Libyan civil war (2014–2020)</span> Armed conflict in Libya

The Libyan civil war (2014–2020), also more commonly known as the Second Libyan Civil War, was a multilateral civil war which was fought in Libya between a number of armed groups, but mainly the House of Representatives (HoR) and the Government of National Accord (GNA), for six years from 2014 to 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shura Council of Benghazi Revolutionaries</span> Former military coalition in Benghazi, Libya

The Shura Council of Benghazi Revolutionaries was a military coalition in Benghazi, Libya, composed of Islamist and jihadist militias, including Ansar al-Sharia, Libya Shield 1, and several other groups.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Libyan crisis (2011–present)</span> Conflicts in Libya from 2011 onwards

The Libyan crisis is the current humanitarian crisis and political-military instability occurring in Libya, beginning with the Arab Spring protests of 2011, which led to two civil wars, foreign military intervention, and the ousting and death of Muammar Gaddafi. The first civil war's aftermath and proliferation of armed groups led to violence and instability across the country, which erupted into renewed civil war in 2014. The second war lasted until October 23, 2020, when all parties agreed to a permanent ceasefire and negotiations.

The February 2015 Egyptian airstrikes in Libya against Islamic State positions in Libya took place on 16 February 2015, and were triggered by a video released by ISIL in Libya a day earlier, depicting the beheading of 21 Coptic Christians from Egypt. Within hours, the Egyptian Air Force responded with airstrikes against ISIL training camps and weapons stockpiles in retaliation for the killings. Warplanes acting under orders from the Libyan government also struck targets in Derna, reportedly in coordination with Egypt.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Islamic State – Libya Province</span> Branch of Islamic State in Libya

The Islamic State – Libya Province is a militant Islamist group active in Libya under three branches: Fezzan Province in the desert south, Cyrenaica Province in the east, and Tripolitania Province in the west. The branches were formed on 13 November 2014, following pledges of allegiance to IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi by militants in Libya.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Government of National Accord</span> Government of Libya

The Government of National Accord was an interim government for Libya that was formed under the terms of the Libyan Political Agreement, a United Nations–led initiative, signed on 17 December 2015. The agreement was unanimously endorsed by the United Nations Security Council, which welcomed the formation of a Presidency Council for Libya and recognized the Government of National Accord as the sole legitimate executive authority in Libya. On 31 December 2015, Chairman of the Libyan House of Representatives, Aguila Saleh Issa declared his support for the Libyan Political Agreement. The General National Congress has criticized the GNA on multiple fronts as biased in favor of its rival parliament the House of Representatives.

This is a detailed timeline of the Libyan civil war (2014–2020) which lasted from 2014 to 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">U.S. intervention in Libya (2015–2019)</span> Military operation conducted by the United States

From November 2015 to 2019, the United States and allies carried out a large series of both airstrikes and drone strikes to intervene in Libya in its revived conflict in support of the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord against the ISIL presence in the region. By 2019, the ISIL branch had been largely driven from holding Libyan territory, and US strikes ceased.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Western Libya campaign</span> Military Campaign in Western Libya

The Western Libya campaign was a military campaign initiated on 4 April 2019 by the Operation Flood of Dignity of the Libyan National Army, which represents the Libyan House of Representatives, to capture the western region of Libya and eventually the capital Tripoli held by the United Nations Security Council-recognised Government of National Accord. The Government of National Accord regained control over all of Tripoli in June 2020 and the LNA forces withdrew from the capital, after fourteen months of fighting.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Turkish intervention in Libya (2020–present)</span> Turkish military intervention in Libya

In January 2020, Turkey militarily intervened in support of the United Nations-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) of Libya in the 2014–2020 Libyan civil war. Military intervention was approved by the Grand National Assembly of Turkey on 2 January 2020, which passed a one-year mandate to deploy troops to Libya. Turkish military deployments to Libya began on 5 January.

This is the order of battle for the Western Libya campaign, codenamed "Operation Flood of Dignity" by forces under Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar. The forces supporting Haftar and the House of Representatives, mainly the Libyan National Army, are opposed by the armed forces of the forces loyal to the Government of National Accord, including the Libyan Army and the Tripoli Protection Force.

Events in Libya in 2020

The 2020 Cairo Declaration, announced on June 6, 2020, was a proposed Second Libyan Civil War ceasefire drawn up in Cairo between Egypt's Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and leaders associated with the Libyan National Army, including Khalifa Haftar and Aguila Saleh. The Libyan national army's principal opposition in the civil war was the UN-recognized Government of National Accord. The declaration proposed to cease all hostilities from June 8, 2020, withdraw all foreign troops and mercenaries, and to disarm the population and hand all weapons over to the Libyan National Army, and to then hold national elections.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Central Libya offensive</span>

The Central Libya offensive, officially known as Operation Paths to Victory, was a military offensive in Libya launched by the forces of the Government of National Accord, to take the city of Sirte and Al Jufra Airbase from the House of Representatives backed by the Libyan National Army. The city of Sirte is considered strategically important because of its close position to oil facilities, which give it control over Libya's oil and gas shipping ports. The Al Jufra Airbase is strategically important for the GNA, due to its central position to Fezzan and denying the Libyan National Army air superiority over Central Libya.

The Wagner Group, also known as PMC Wagner, a Russian paramilitary organization also described as a private military company (PMC), a network of mercenaries, and a de facto unit of the Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) or Russia's military intelligence agency, the GRU, has conducted operations in Libya since late 2018.

On January 4, 2020, the United Arab Emirates aiding the Libyan National Army launched an airstrike on a military school used by the UN-backed Government of National Accord in Tripoli, Libya. Twenty-six people were killed and thirty-three were wounded.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Operation Volcano of Rage</span>

Operation Volcano of Anger, alternatively known as Operation Volcano of Rage, was a military resistance campaign launched by the Government of National Accord in Libya to counter the advances of the Libyan National Army led by General Khalifa Haftar. The conflict, which began in April 2019, had witnessed intense fighting around the capital city, Tripoli, and other strategic locations in the country.

References

  1. 1 2 "Ceasefire in Libya". U.S. Embassy in Egypt. 26 October 2020.
  2. Mostafa, Mahmoud (16 February 2015). "Airstrikes hit 3 coastal Libyan cities". Daily News Egypt. Archived from the original on 20 February 2015. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  3. Nader, Aya (16 February 2015). "Egypt strikes Islamic State in Libya". Daily News Egypt. Archived from the original on 23 February 2015. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  4. "UN-backed Libyan forces oust renegade general from Tripoli". the Guardian. 4 June 2020. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
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  6. "Libya migrant attack: UN investigators suspect foreign jet bombed centre". BBC News. 6 November 2019.
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  8. "UAE implicated in lethal drone strike in Libya". BBC News. 27 August 2020.
  9. "Chad to send 1,500 troops to Libya in support of Marshal Haftar". Atalayar. 12 June 2020.
  10. 1 2 "Egypt announces international anti-Turkey alliance". al-monitor.com. 31 May 2020.
  11. "France's Macron slams Turkey's 'criminal' role in Libya". Al Jazeera. 30 June 2020.
  12. 1 2 "Egypt 'bombs IS in Libya' after beheadings video". BBC News. 16 February 2015. Archived from the original on 21 June 2018. Retrieved 16 February 2015.
  13. "Abdulrahman Sewehli thanks Qatari Emir for his support". 13 March 2017. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  14. Egypt's Sisi wins parliamentary approval for possible Libya intervention Reuters
  15. Chris Stephen (17 February 2015). "Egyptian air strikes in Libya kill dozens of Isis militants". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 2 December 2016. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
  16. "Libya: Egyptian troops launch ground attack in Isis-held Derna 'capturing 55 militants'". International Business Times UK . 18 February 2015. Archived from the original on 19 February 2015. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  17. "Seven killed in Egyptian air strikes on Libyan city: Amnesty". Reuters. 23 February 2015. Archived from the original on 17 July 2015. Retrieved 30 July 2015.
  18. "UAE drone air attacks Derna in east Libya". alnabaa.tv. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
  19. "Egyptian warplanes conduct airstrikes on Libya's Derna". Libyan Express - Libya News, Opinion, Analysis and Latest Updates from Libya. 27 May 2017. Archived from the original on 2018-12-28. Retrieved 2018-12-28.
  20. "Video: Egyptian soldiers fighting in Derna alongside Haftar's armed groups".
  21. "Egypt voices deep concern over new developments in Libya – Politics – Egypt – Ahram Online". english.ahram.org.eg.
  22. "'Egypt committed to supporting Libyan national army in battle against armed militias,' parliament speaker – Politics – Egypt – Ahram Online". english.ahram.org.eg. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  23. "Libya crisis timeline: The battle for Tripoli, Sirte, and oil from November to today". 13 July 2020.
  24. "Sisi stressed Egypt's support for counterterrorism efforts in Libya". Egypt Independent. 14 April 2019. Retrieved 14 April 2019.
  25. "Jets hit Libya's al-Watiya airbase where Turkey may build base, sources say". Reuters. July 5, 2020 via www.reuters.com.
  26. Libya's GNA call Egypt's military threat as a 'declaration of war' Al-Jazeera