BAYDA (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 26th May, 2020) The Libyan National Army (LNA) led by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar plans to launch a military operation in the country's northwestern city of Misrata in the next two days to eradicate armed groups affiliated with the Egypt-based Muslim Brotherhood terrorist organization (banned in Russia), a military source in the LNA told Sputnik.
"The Libyan National Army, including all of its units and military forces, is preparing for launching a military operation in the city of Misrata within the next two days ... in order to eliminate armed militias and groups belonging to the Muslim Brotherhood that controls the city," the source said.
The source added that an offensive was also aimed at seizing the movement's headquarters, which receives armed support provided by Ankara via the Misrata airport and harbors to the LNA's main rival, the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA).
Two planes from Turkey with over 300 Syrian mercenaries aboard reportedly landed on Monday at the city's airport. Earlier in the month, LNA spokesman Ahmed Mismari told Sputnik that up to 17,000 mercenaries had been brought into the country from Syria to fight for the GNA.
Ankara is considered by many to be a sympathizer of the Muslim Brotherhood group. It also supported the short-lived Islamist government of Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi, which was overthrown in July 2013. Haftar, in turn, considers the movement to be one of Libya's most prominent threats.
In March 2012, the movement also established its own political movement in Tripoli called the Justice and Construction Party (JCP), which received around 10 percent of the vote during the 2012 election for the Libyan General National Congress (GNC), one of the country's then-legislative authorities. However, soon after, the JCP announced that it was withdrawing from the Libyan government after failing to secure enough votes to unseat former Prime Minister Ali Zeidan appointed by the GNC.
In September 2014, the GNC founded its own governmental body, the Government of National Salvation (GNS), but under the UN 2015 Libyan Political Agreement, the GNS resigned and most of its members joined the Libyan High Council of State, an acting advisory body for both the GNA and the rival Tobruk-based government, which supports the LNA.
The Tobruk-based authorities have also labeled Libya's Brotherhood members, including JCP leader Mohamed Sowan, as terrorists.
