In light of the army’s military operation and on the edge of the Chadian-Libyan border, the “Sky News Arabia” camera lens documented the situation inside the Umm al-Aranib area, which is located about 93 km northeast of Murzuq, and about 173 km south of Sabha, and this area is the most important and dangerous gateway to cross Smugglers and terrorist groups from the farthest corner of the African continent to Libya.
Military Commander Adam Hajar Saleh, commander of the desert patrols of Major General Tariq bin Ziyad Al-Muhaazin in the Umm Al-Aranib area, confirmed that the security situation is under full control after the reinforcement of the military forces at that point.
Saleh made it clear, during his statements to “Sky News Arabia”, that the forces in that region are charged with one mission from the General Command of the Libyan Army, which is to impose full control over the southern border crossings completely.
dangerous gate
Saleh said: This point is one of the most dangerous border gates, as the borders with the state of Niger are secured up to the Algerian border; To prevent arms and drug smuggling and illegal immigration gangs, which is the most important point for their suspicious trade.
In the context, military analyst Muhammad Al-Tarhouni explained that Umm Al-Aranib is one of the most important areas known for smuggling of all kinds, from people to food commodities and cigarettes.
The military analyst said, during his statements to “Sky News Arabia”, that this point has become of great interest on the part of the General Command of the Armed Forces; To stop the smuggling of people and weapons, unlike the activities of a number of terrorist groups operating in the heart of the African continent.
Al-Tarhouni continued: There are groups inside Libya that do not want to impose control over that area, which is considered a “business” and suspicious trade through smuggling of all kinds. The beneficiary of that area does not want to extend security control over it.
For his part, the commander of the desert patrols, Major General Tariq bin Ziyad, affirmed that there is no retreat from imposing the prestige of the state in the south and the border gates, pointing to the cowardly terrorist incident that the military forces have been subjected to in the south during the past weeks.
Saleh reviewed the efforts made by the Libyan armed forces at that point during the past days, as thousands of migrants were deported, and the road to fuel smuggling operations was completely cut off, and many vehicles loaded with fuel were recovered on their way out of the country, and a number of people were also eliminated. One of the criminal gangs that used to take this area as a hotbed for smuggling.
A number of fake gates used by gangs and armed militias were also destroyed, “gates set up by gangs to impose transit fees and pave the way for smuggling.”
current situation
The Libyan south is currently witnessing a state of control, which some described as temporary. Given the state of the political conflict in the country, and here, military expert Othman Al-Mukhtar confirmed that the situation is liable to explode and get out of control. In view of the developments in the international scene and the return of ISIS with sporadic operations in the last period in Syria, Iraq and Libya as well.
On January 18, ISIS claimed responsibility for detonating an explosive device in the Umm al-Aranib area, killing a soldier and wounding two others. Qatroun is in the south of the country.
A terrorist attack claimed the lives of 4 army men, which responded with a massive operation that resulted in the killing of 24 extremist elements, according to Major General Khaled al-Mahjoub, Director of the Army’s Moral Guidance Department, who indicated that 8 of them blew themselves up before their arrest.
The military expert, Othman Al-Mukhtar, confirmed, during his statements to “Sky News Arabia”, that what happened in the terrorist operation in southern Libya last month is a message and alarm about the importance of going towards the stage of stability, holding presidential elections, building state institutions, and supporting and unifying the military institution.
