The West Coast Military Zone, under the command of Lieutenant General Salah Al-Namroush, announced last Friday (3 January) the launch of a military operation to “impose security, establish stability and target suspicious hideouts” in the city of Zawia and West Coast areas.
The West Coast Military Zone said the operation comes under the direct directives of Prime Minister Abdel Hamid Aldabaiba in his dual role as the Minister of Defence, and in response to the appeal of the people of the city of Zawia. Operations were launched on Saturday during which the forces entered Zawia and started targeting criminal dents.
Libya analysts say while on the face of it the military operation is targeting drug traffickers, human smugglers, crime dens, and wanted criminals, in reality it is probably targeting various militias and militia leaders that are responsible for the instability in the area.
These possibly include the forces of, or aligned to, militia leaders Al-Daoui and Bouzreiba.
On Saturday, the West Coast Military Zone denied ‘‘the existence of any political objectives behind these military operations’’, stressing that ‘‘they aim to maintain security and stability in the region’’.
On Sunday the operation reported that drones had carried out air strikes on Saturday night targeting a drug trafficking site, and another site was targeted Sunday morning used to sell fuel illegally.
The West Coast Military District also warned on Sunday fuel truck drivers not to deal with fuel smugglers, stressing that the trucks involved will be legitimate targets for strict measures and will be subject to direct targeting. It said it is expanding its positions and activities throughout the city.
Today, it reported the targeting of further crime dens.
Zawia has never been under control
It will be recalled that Zawia, about an hour’s drive or 50 kms west of Tripoli on the coastal road to the main Libyan Tunisian border crossing, has never been under the control of the Tripoli based Libyan government. Several militias, many of whom are simply crime gangs, control various parts of the city and its greater surrounding areas.
