The Libyan army hits ISIS in Qatroun..and pursues it on the border

This move comes after the battle that took place in the Qatroun region in southern Libya, which resulted in the killing of 19 ISIS elements, while 4 members of the Libyan army were killed.

Al-Mismari explained in a press conference that the military operation in the Qatrun area lasted for about 44 hours, adding that the battle had prepared all the capabilities for it before starting it, and witnessed sending military support from the border guards in Benghazi and Al-Jabal Al-Akhdar, as well as assigning a support battalion from Ajdabiya to be in the area. .

He pointed out that the battle began after the organization targeted, on January 24, two soldiers belonging to the General Command forces in the area between Majdoul and Qatrun, which led to their deaths. Support from the people in the south in its battle.

Al-Mismari confirmed that the citizens cooperated with the army to eliminate this dangerous cell, while all available capabilities were directed to end the presence of the organization in that spot, revealing that the movements of “separate groups” were monitored along the borders with Chad, Niger and Algeria.

The army spokesman criticized the handling of the Libyan Interim Government’s Prime Minister Abdel Hamid al-Dabaiba and Interior Minister Khaled Mazen with the event, as they overlooked the efforts of the army, to attribute it to other parties, even though the whole world witnessed what the armed forces had done.

Al-Mismari warned that this situation would negatively affect the work of the “5 + 5” joint military committee, and meetings between Lieutenant-General Abdul Razzaq Al-Nadori and Muhammad Al-Haddad to unify the military institution.

‘They didn’t give him the credit he deserved’

The strategic expert, Brigadier General Muhammad al-Rajbani, criticized the government’s failure to give the army the appreciation it deserves, as it is fighting to restore Libyan security and sovereignty under difficult circumstances and challenges, adding that the payment of salaries to army men was stopped, while “promotions” were granted to members of the armed groups who are Criminally wanted.

Returning to the clashes that Al-Qatrun witnessed, Al-Rajbani confirmed the presence of many foreign elements among the dead of the terrorist organization, pointing out that the army men were able to capture elements, including those with Niger nationality and others.

Here, the Libyan political researcher, Muhammad Qashout, mentioned the pictures that were coming to the soldiers and army personnel in the south, and the lack of supplies provided to them, while they were stationed to protect the Libyan people, while the support was not provided by the government, which did not pay their good salaries in the past months.

Qashut added that it is not possible to “jump” on the efforts and heroism of those who persevered in the face of the terrorist organization, and were able to resolve the battle in front of it despite the foregoing, as well as with the difficult terrain, rugged desert and mountains that impede the movement of mechanisms.

He continued, “There is an attempt to attribute victory to non-people, and this matter is misleading and distorting the role of the National Armed Forces, which it played with the blood of its heroes,” noting that the government has tasks that it has not accomplished, and citizens are still suffering with the crisis of electricity cuts and living conditions.

“Eliminate the terrorist clique”

Military expert Muhammad al-Tarhouni stressed that the military operations carried out by the army are major in the south, and this operation will be completed, and its motto is “elimination of this terrorist group”, and the basic principle is that these operations are “tight and large”, and will end when all the remnants stationed in many places are eliminated.

Al-Tarhouni indicated, in his speech to “Sky News Arabia”, that the Libyan army is facing a problem with decision-makers, criticizing the support of some parties opposing it in the south, stressing that the current army rose from “the rubble of an army”, and now it has a great rating. Among the ranks of the world’s armies, he stressed the need to “rein in” those who are trying to thwart the army’s efforts to eliminate terrorism.

Despite this, the Libyans are counting on the vast experience of the Libyan army in the confrontations it has fought over the past years, whether in Benghazi, Derna, the oil fields, and also Sirte, as the military expert explains, stressing that the units deployed in the south have enough to win the battle in their favour.