LNA spokesman Ahmed Al-Mismari explains that "the terrorist arrived to Libya with the support of Turkish intelligence to take over the leadership of the Failak al-Sham group"

The Libyan National Army captures "one of the most dangerous members of the Daesh terrorist organization"

photo_camera REUTERS/ESAM OMRAN - Ahmed al-Mismari, spokesman of the Libyan National Army (LNA)

Muhammad al-Ruwaidani, known as Abu Bakr al-Ruwaidani, one of the most dangerous members of the Daesh terrorist organization, has been arrested by the Libyan National Army (LNA), LNA spokesman Ahmed Al-Mismari announced. "The LNA militias led by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar arrested Muhammad al-Ruwaidani, known as Abu Bakr al-Ruwaidani, in Tripoli. He had been transferred to Libya under the auspices of Turkish intelligence," explained the 'People's Front to Support the Libyan Army against Turkish Colonialism' on the social network Facebook. 

Ruwaidani was arrested while he was fighting with the National Accord Government (NAG) militias. "This is further proof of the relationship between Erdogan, the Daesh Takfiri organisation and extremist organisations in general," the organisation said on Facebook. For his part, Al-Mismari himself has highlighted on this same social network that "the LNA detachments captured Muhammad al-Ruwaidani, from Syria and one of the most dangerous elements of Daesh, in Tripoli". Al-Mismari explained in this same publication that "the terrorist arrived in Libya with the support of Turkish intelligence to take charge of the Failak al-Sham group", as Sputnik has reported.

This arrest has taken place at the same time as a new contingent of at least 500 mercenaries from Syria has arrived in Libya during the last few hours. As a result, the number of recruits in Libya has risen to 10,100 combatants. Libya is a nation divided between the areas controlled by the internationally recognized Government of National Accord on the one hand and the territory controlled by the authorities in the east, who are loyal to the Haftar militias on the other. The Libyan National Army is supported by the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Russia, while Sarraj is backed by Turkey and Qatar. Turkey's presence in the region has intensified in recent months, with the arrival of thousands of mercenaries, most of them of Syrian origin. 

Un combatiente del gobierno de Libia (GNA)

Over the weekend, the GNA militias have taken control of the main military camps of Hamza, Yarmouk and Sawarikh in southern Tripoli. Libyan army spokesman Mohammed Gununu confirmed the progress of the ANG forces on various fronts in the country's capital, announcing that Haftar militias had withdrawn from several battle lines as GNA forces advanced on them, especially on the fronts of Mashroa al-Hadba, Salah al-Deen and Ain Zara, according to The Libyan Express. 

In this context, Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar has called on his militias to fight against Turkey, a country that supports its Tripoli rivals and has played a decisive role in changing the course of the conflict. Turkey previously announced that it would respond to any attack on its interests in Libya, after Haftar threatened to respond to recent military setbacks with a new campaign of air strikes. 

Meanwhile, the EU ambassador to Libya has called on the warring parties to stop the fighting and commemorate Eid al-Fitr in peace, a holiday that marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan, according to statements collected by the Middle East Monitor. The European diplomat urged both the GNA and the LNA "to respect the spirituality of Eid al-Fitr and to allow the festivities to be celebrated in peace and with compassion, which is the basis of the religion of Islam". "While celebrating this year's Eid al-Fitr, the Libyans, in addition to suffering from the coronavirus pandemic, continue to be victims of a war that has caused death, destruction and forced displacement. It is time to listen to the continuing calls for an end to conflict and a return to dialogue," he concluded.

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