Libya's Islamist Militias Claim Control of Tripoli - Polidicks

[IMG]http://si.wsj.net/public/resources/images/BN-EG098_tripol_G_20140825043352.jpg[/IMG] [QUOTE]Libya's Islamist militias said Sunday they have consolidated their hold on Tripoli and its international airport, driving out rival militias to the outskirts of the capital after a weeks-long battle for control of the strategic hub.The umbrella group for Islamist militias, calling itself Dawn of Libya, said it has also taken hold of other locations in the capital that were controlled by rival militias. The move draws to a close one chapter in a prolonged confrontation between the Islamist-allied militia, largely from the city of Misrata, and the powerful militia from the western mountains of Zintan. The fight has largely destroyed the airport and scarred the capital, prompting diplomats, foreign nationals and thousands of Libyans to flee. The violence in Libya is rooted in the empowerment of militias after successive transitional governments, since the 2011 ouster of longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi, depended on them to maintain order in the absence of a strong police force or a unified military. It also comes as part of a backlash by Islamist factions after losing their power in parliament after June elections and in the face of a campaign by a renegade military general against extremist Islamic militias in Benghazi, Libya's second-largest city. The recent violence has been the worst in Libya since 2011. Mysterious airstrikes have struck the positions of Islamist militias, sparking accusations by them that Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, which oppose Islamists in the region, were behind them. A field commander of the Dawn of Libya militia said Sunday his forces were in control of Tripoli and adjacent cities, having pushed back the rival Zintan forces some 90 kilometers (56 miles) south of the capital. It wasn't immediately possible to reach members of the Zintan militias. The commander spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to brief reporters. The fighting on the ground has mirrored a political standoff between Islamists and the outgoing parliament they controlled, and anti-Islamist groups who control the newly elected parliament. Each considers the other illegitimate. After claiming control over the airport, Dawn of Libya called on the outgoing parliament to convene in the capital to take "the necessary measures to protect state sovereignty." On Sunday, the speaker of the outgoing parliament, Omar Hmeidan, said the body will convene until it hands over power to the newly elected deputies. Further inflaming the situation, the newly elected parliament described the Dawn of Libya militias as "outlawed" and "terrorist groups" who fight to undermine the legitimacy of the state. The newly elected parliament has been convening in Tobruk because of security concerns amid a growing lawlessness in the capital and Libya's second largest city of Benghazi. Fresh clashes Saturday in Benghazi pitting forces loyal to renegade Gen. Khalifa Hifter against a group of Islamist militias called The Benghazi Revolutionary Shura Council left eight troops dead and 35 wounded, a health official said. There were no immediate reports of casualties from the militias. Islamist militias also controlled an air defense base near the city's international airport, a security official said. All officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to brief reporters. [/QUOTE] [URL]http://online.wsj.com/articles/libyas-islamist-militias-claim-control-of-tripoli-1408955207[/URL]

And so ISIS grows stronger, I can already see them allying if the Islamists do a good job in Lybia

[QUOTE=Swineflu;45796436]And so ISIS grows stronger, I can already see them allying if the Islamists do a good job in Lybia[/QUOTE] I can't see that happening unless those in Libya freely put themselves under ISIS control [I]and[/I] if they follow their brand of fundamentalism to the [I]T[/I].

[QUOTE=Swineflu;45796436]And so ISIS grows stronger, I can already see them allying if the Islamists do a good job in Lybia[/QUOTE] Can we please stop connecting the ISIS to everything? Really, they are enemies of the majority of other Islamists. They insist that anyone who wishes to ally with them submits to their caliphate, which most Islamic theologians don't believe should exist. They aren't going to unite the middle east.

[QUOTE=Swineflu;45796436]And so ISIS grows stronger, I can already see them allying if the Islamists do a good job in Lybia[/QUOTE] The Islamic State has no interest in allying with a Libyan militia. It would suit their means better if the country would remain balkanized. Divide and conquer.

[QUOTE=MillySoose;45796751]The Islamic State has no interest in allying with a Libyan militia. It would suit their means better if the country would remain balkanized. Divide and conquer.[/QUOTE] Except they're too small themselves to conquer anything major anymore.

Libya hasn't been this divided since the revolution, there are two parallel governments at the moment.

[QUOTE=CroGamer002;45796950]Except they're too small themselves to conquer anything major anymore.[/QUOTE] Please elaborate. As far as I know the Islamic State gets larger by the day in numbers and controlled territory.

[QUOTE=Swineflu;45796436]And so ISIS grows stronger, I can already see them allying if the Islamists do a good job in Lybia[/QUOTE] ISIS' only ally is Boko Haram and those fundamentalists in Maritime SEA. While they do have connections with a few branches of al-Qaeda in North Africa those branches don't often do attacks.

[QUOTE=MillySoose;45797081]Please elaborate. As far as I know the Islamic State gets larger by the day in numbers and controlled territory.[/QUOTE] They're losing ground in Iraq for past week, ever since US Air-force intervened to assist Kurdish armies and Iraqi elite forces. ISIS is doomed, it's just matter of time. Really long time, but never the less it's gonna happen.

Hey Smurfy are these guys Ansar al-Sharia? Or a completely different fringe group? [editline]25th August 2014[/editline] I say because I've never heard of "dawn of Libya"

[QUOTE=OvB;45799180]Hey Smurfy are these guys Ansar al-Sharia? Or a completely different fringe group?[/QUOTE] Nah Ansar al-Sharia are based in and around Benghazi and don't have much involvement in Tripoli, Libya Dawn is mainly from Misrata. Ansar al-Sharia sees them as pretty cool guys though

[QUOTE=CroGamer002;45797481]They're losing ground in Iraq for past week, ever since US Air-force intervened to assist Kurdish armies and Iraqi elite forces. ISIS is doomed, it's just matter of time. Really long time, but never the less it's gonna happen.[/QUOTE] ISIS is based in Syria. Unless we bomb them in Syria (which the US is still juggling the idea) they're not doomed. Not saying this is ISIS, but Libya is on their to-do list and I wouldn't be shocked if they started meddling in Libya after we deny them access to Iraq. (Probably not though)

[QUOTE=smurfy;45799211]Nah Ansar al-Sharia are based in and around Benghazi and don't have much involvement in Tripoli, Libya Dawn is mainly from Misrata. Ansar al-Sharia sees them as pretty cool guys though[/QUOTE] I really hope the non-religious militias can at least remove these groups ability to do anything. That or just split Libya in half.

[QUOTE=Swilly;45799238]I really hope the non-religious militias can at least remove these groups ability to do anything. That or just split Libya in half.[/QUOTE] Neither of those seem likely with Islamists now largely in control of both Tripoli and Benghazi. It's totally possible that international intervention will be required to restore peace to Libya. It wouldn't even require a UN mandate because the House of Representatives is internationally recognised as the legit government and has already requested intervention. The state has no army to seize control, and there's no chance of it assembling an army in these conditions. A deal could be struck to end some of the fighting, but some groups like Ansar al-Sharia want a hardline Islamic state and are unlikely to accept any compromise. Meanwhile some of those within the liberal militias are ex-Gaddafi and their commitment to democracy is questionable. It seems like it may be only a matter of time before some atrocity occurs and the international community is forced to act. For now, there's not any ISIS-level bullshit going on and the West is just calling for all sides to stop fighting. But there was a similar response 20 months ago when Iraqi Sunnis threatened an armed uprising against the government, and look how that turned out. Who knows where Libya will be in 20 months?