ZUWARAH VS DEBIBA!
During the past days, military movements happened in the west of the Libyan capital, exactly in the region extending from Zuwarah arriving to the gate of Ras Ejdir, where the military force that Debiba has formed under the leadership of Abdussalam Elzoubi, last period has tried to recover Gharyan from the military force that was controlling. It seems that such a force was only to deter Daab and his force from Gharian, as we stated previously in the paper we published under the title (Why Debiba formed a army to deter Daab <Gharian the Sign>), where such a force was able to reach Zolten area, distancing approximately 25 kilometers from Ras Ejdir gate. The goal was to take control on the gate under Leadership of the Joint Force belonging to Debiba, in addition to change the Manager of the Crossing, through the Minister of Interior, Imad Trabelsi.
This move did not go unnoticed by Zuwarah Municipal Council, as the chamber refused such moves and said that there is no logical justification therefor, except the attempt to control the Crossing by a government, which in fact lacks legitimacy, and that such movements will lead to a state of military conflict between them and Debiba’s joint force in case this latter did not withdraw.
This was confirmed by the meeting of the Amazigh cities from the mountains and the coast, who announced in their statement their rejection of such movements, which do not express an official movement based on a legal situation, but rather it is an extension of a military force influence that is obeying an illegitimate government, and which the purpose thereof is only to take control.
The Supreme Council of Amazigh of Libya also had a clear position about such movements, where it stressed that the Amazigh in Libya are still cling to the unity of the Libyan territory, and that any process of developing the government’s control over the state institutions and their crossings must be comprehensive, so that all ports shall be under the government control, but some ports without the others?!
The Council also stressed that (Zuwarah Municipality) and the Amazighs in general did not and will not stand against any measure that would establish a true state on the condition that it adheres to the law and applies it on everyone, and first of all, it shall a government emerging from a legitimate state, in which the Libyans are truly represented by all their sects and ethnicities. The statement has also confirmed that the Amazigh of Libya were not a part of the political process that has produced this government, however, in the same time they were not an obstacle to any state of stability that could be worked on.
Therefore, a set of logical questions arise: What does Debiba want from extending the influence of the force representing him on Ras Jedir crossing? Is the goal the crossing itself? Or the entire region? At a time when all security agencies belonging to the state operate from Ras Jedir crossing. What does Debiba want to change from such movements at the crossing?
Debiba’s relationship with the security force in West Tripoli up to the Tunisian borders was not good, as he used drones more than once to strike them under the pretext of fighting human and gasoline smuggling, in addition to going of Zawiah in particular, as being considered the largest force in this region, to the camp of Pasha Agha in his attempt to enter Tripoli and take over the reins. Therefore, the relationship has remained tense since then, and also the situation was not better for Zuwarah as well in its relationship with the Debiba, as he also used drones more than once under the pretext of fighting smuggling.
Aljuwaili’s force, which also extends its control over the interior of Aljabel and part of Warshafana together with the route of the mountain road linking Warshafana to near the cities of Tigi and Badr, was in the target area of such movements, on the basis that Aljuwaili is considered one of the military parties working on terminating Debiba’s ruling and his replacement. No rapprochement has occurred between the two men over the past period. Rather, a slight clash broke out between Aljuwaili’s force and the joint force led by Elzoubi while extending its control over the region extending from Gharyan all the way to Mezda.
The Presidential Council did not stand idly towards this scene, as a big role has raised for Abdullah Ellafi, one of the members of the Council, in issuing a military order from the Presidential Council for the return of all military forces present in the Zuwarah and Zolten areas to their camps, and not to move except by direct orders from him, as being considered the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces. However, he backed down and issued another order for a small military force to remain in Zolten area to protect the crossing and carry out the tasks that would be required therefrom later.
Zuwarah Municipal Council did not agree to the presence of any military force in Zolten, even though most of such a force that remained was from Zuwarah itself. Debiba, with his military movements in this region, created an informal military alliance between the Zuwarah Military Operations Room (through the Municipal Council) and the majority of the military formations in Zawiah, in addition to Aljuwaili’s force. Such a coalition that can, if it wants, enter Tripoli through its four gates within hours. Debiba and his force did not as well achieve the goal for which they went, which is taking control on the crossing.
But, let us return to the same question with which we began this article: (At a time when all the state security agencies are operating from the Ras Ejdir Crossing, what does Debiba want to change from such movements at the Crossing?)
That is why Debiba is trying to regain some of the internal and international momentum by extending his direct control over the western region, to tell everyone that the Haftar family controls the east and south, and the Debiba family controls the entire western region indeed and not just metaphorically, so that he may be able to reposition himself on the negotiating ladder, which the UN envoy is trying to do these days in order to find common ground between all the actors on the political scene in Libya.
This is why many observers believe that Debiba’s recent military move towards Ras Ejdir Crossing did not only come out a loser, but rather created a military alliance hostile to him. This is why the authors of such an analysis believe that always before heading towards the west to direction of the Ras Ejdir Crossing, remember well that you mustn’t overpass (the landowners).