Battle of Sabha (2019)
| Battle of Sabha | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Southern Libya offensive and Second Libyan Civil War | ||||||||
.svg) Map showing the LNA's advances in southern Libya | ||||||||
| ||||||||
| Belligerents | ||||||||
 Government of National Accord Toubou militias |
 Islamic State AQIM | |||||||
| Commanders and leaders | ||||||||
| Khalifa Haftar | Fayez al-Sarraj |
Al-Mahdi Rajab Dungo (ISIL Minister of Defence for Libya) | ||||||
The Battle of Sabha was a military confrontation in Sabha from 15 January to 4 February 2019 between the Libyan National Army (LNA) and the Government of National Accord (GNA) during the Southern Libya offensive of the Second Libyan Civil War.
Battle
[edit]The LNA started taking up positions near Sabha on 15 January.[1] On 18 January, the LNA raided AQIM and ISIS militants northwest of Sabha, claiming to have killed three of their notable members. Clashes continued between the LNA and the militias within the city of Sabha, although the airport stayed under the control of the GNA.[2] On 1 February, Toubou tribesmen ambushed and killed four members of the 128th brigade of the LNA. A day after the LNA announced control of the town, heavy fighting broke out between Toubou fighters and the LNA in the town of Ghadduwah, south of Sabha.[3] LNA forces secured Sabha airport and other strategic sites after local groups agreed to hand them over.[4] The commander of the sixth infantry unit of the GNA, Hamid al-Atabi, accused Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj of not providing adequate support to his forces, which resulted in the GNA retreat from Sabha on 4 February.[5] Control of Sabha is seen as vital for controlling southern Libya's oilfields, allowing the LNA to secure oil facilities including El Sharara oil field, the biggest in Libya.[4]
References
[edit]- ^ "New batch of Dignity Operation militias arrive in Sabha | The Libya Observer". libyaobserver.ly. Retrieved 2023-04-15.
- ^ Zaptia, Sami (2019-01-20). "Terror suspects killed in large LNA operation in south Libya". LibyaHerald. Retrieved 2023-04-15.
- ^ "Dignity Operation armed groups ambushed in southern Libya | The Libya Observer". libyaobserver.ly. Retrieved 2023-04-15.
- ^ a b "Eastern Libya government delegation visits key southern city of Sabha". Arab News. 2019-01-28. Retrieved 2023-04-15.
- ^ "Haftar's forces storm houses of opponents in Libya's Sabha | The Libya Observer". libyaobserver.ly. Retrieved 2023-04-15.