Libya’s eastern army has accused Qatar of deploying forces in the country and financing radical groups over several years, hindering its transition to democracy.
Libyan National Army (LNA) spokesman Colonel Ahmed Al Mismari presented documents and videos at a press conference in eastern Libya late on Wednesday which he said confirmed Qatari deployments in Libya and its support for radical forces opposed to the LNA.
The claim follows a declaration on Monday by the Al Bayda-based interim government, which supervises the LNA and is opposed to the UN-backed Government of National Accord in Tripoli, that it was formally breaking diplomatic relations with Qatar, without citing a reason.
The announcement came after Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt said they were breaking off ties with Qatar over its support for "terrorist groups aiming to destabilise the region".
The documents presented by Col Al Mismari include a letter he said was from Mohammed Hamad Al Hajri, acting charge d’affaires at the Qatar Embassy in Libya, which the colonel said proved Qatar has deployed units in the country.
The letter, which appeared to be written on headed notepaper with an official Qatari embassy crest, referred to an incident in 2012 when three Qatari men — supposedly in Libya on a hunting trip — were stopped at a checkpoint and then confined to their hotel. The letter says the Qatari embassy provided consular assistance and subsequently the under-secretary at the Libyan ministry for foreign affairs apologised to the Qatari ambassador for the "misunderstanding."
On Thursday, Col Al Mismari told the Libyan news site Al Awsat that the House of Representatives (HOR), the eastern parliament that supervises the LNA and the government in Al Bayda, should annul contracts with oil companies associated with Qatar. He said Qatar had "destroyed the Arab region and there is no hope for reconciliation".
Col Al Mismari said the documents showed the involvement of prominent Qataris in fuelling disputes in Libya, and the deployment of Qatar’s military in attempts by its allied forces to take over several locations, including the Mitiga airport in Tripoli’s city centre and the western coastal town of Misurata.
Qatar has not commended on the LNA allegations, but on March 8 it denied allegations by Libyan parliamentarians that it was supporting radical forces fighting the LNA for control of strategic oil ports Es Sider and Ras Lanuf. Qatar news agency quoted a source at its foreign affairs ministry saying at the time: "The statement is completely baseless and the allegations are misleading and contradict Qatar’s policy towards the brotherly Libyan state."
The LNA spokesman also accused Qatar-backed Libyan radical militias of being behind an attempt to assassinate LNA commander Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, and also a series of assassinations of prominent leaders, including Abdel Fattah Younes, LNA chief of staff during the 2011 evolution, who was murdered in Benghazi in July that year.
He also presented videos showing what he said were extremists supported by Qatar who held prominent positions in Libya, including the former mayor of Tripoli and radical fighter Mahdi Al Harati.
Mr Al Harati, a former Arab-language teacher in Ireland, led the so-called Tripoli Brigade, one of the rebel forces that ousted Libya’s former leader Muammar Qaddafi in the 2011 revolution.
The following year he set up a rebel brigade in Syria to battle the forces of Syrian president Bashar Al Assad, leaving six months later to return to Tripoli where he was elected mayor in 2014.
The UN Security Council’s Panel of Experts, set up to monitor the UN arms embargo on Libya, wrote in its annual report in March 2013: "During its first mandate (2011-12), the Panel was informed by the Libyan opposition military authorities and confidential sources that Qatar was providing military material to the revolutionary forces through the organisation of a large number of flights and the deliveries of a range of arms and ammunition".
Qatar replied to the allegation, saying it had deployed troops in Libya to protect civilians during the revolution, but denied that any weapons had intentionally found their way to rebels.
In a January 2013 letter to the Panel of Experts, the Permanent Mission of the State of Qatar wrote that Qatar had deployed troops during the 2011 revolution to protect civilians under the terms of UN resolutions of that year. "Thus it dispatched a limited number of military personnel to Libya to provide military consultation to the revolutionaries, defend Libyan civilians and protect aid convoys destined for them. It supplied those Qatari military personnel with limited arms and ammunition for the purpose of self defence."
In the same letter, published by the Panel in its 2013 report, Qatar’s Permanent Mission said: "The State of Qatar categorically denies the information reported by some media that it supplied the revolutionaries with arms and ammunition. If some ammunition found its way to some Libyan revolutionaries, despite measures taken to prevent this from happening, then this could only be explained by the conditions of fierce fighting."
Libyan militias that the LNA accuses Qatar of financing have suffered a series of defeats on the battlefield in recent weeks. On March 10, LNA forces ejected radical militias from two key oil ports, Es Sider and Ras Lanuf, and in May the army captured two key southern airbases and the central base of Jufra from militias. The LNA has also captured most of the key eastern city of Benghazi from radicals, including ISIL, pushing them back into two coastal enclaves.
foreign.desk@thenational.ae
Your Guide to the Home
- Level 1 has a valet service if you choose not to park in the basement level. This level houses all the kitchenware, including covetable brand French Bull, along with a wide array of outdoor furnishings, lamps and lighting solutions, textiles like curtains, towels, cushions and bedding, and plenty of other home accessories.
- Level 2 features curated inspiration zones and solutions for bedrooms, living rooms and dining spaces. This is also where you’d go to customise your sofas and beds, and pick and choose from more than a dozen mattress options.
- Level 3 features The Home’s “man cave” set-up and a display of industrial and rustic furnishings. This level also has a mother’s room, a play area for children with staff to watch over the kids, furniture for nurseries and children’s rooms, and the store’s design studio.
The specS: 2018 Toyota Camry
Price: base / as tested: Dh91,000 / Dh114,000
Engine: 3.5-litre V6
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 298hp @ 6,600rpm
Torque: 356Nm @ 4,700rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km
Plan to boost public schools
A major shake-up of government-run schools was rolled out across the country in 2017. Known as the Emirati School Model, it placed more emphasis on maths and science while also adding practical skills to the curriculum.
It was accompanied by the promise of a Dh5 billion investment, over six years, to pay for state-of-the-art infrastructure improvements.
Aspects of the school model will be extended to international private schools, the education minister has previously suggested.
Recent developments have also included the introduction of moral education - which public and private schools both must teach - along with reform of the exams system and tougher teacher licensing requirements.
TWISTERS
Director: Lee Isaac Chung
Starring: Glen Powell, Daisy Edgar-Jones, Anthony Ramos
Rating: 2.5/5
Recipe
Garlicky shrimp in olive oil
Gambas Al Ajillo
Preparation time: 5 to 10 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes
Serves 4
Ingredients
180ml extra virgin olive oil; 4 to 5 large cloves of garlic, minced or pureed (or 3 to 4 garlic scapes, roughly chopped); 1 or 2 small hot red chillies, dried (or ¼ teaspoon dried red chilli flakes); 400g raw prawns, deveined, heads removed and tails left intact; a generous splash of sweet chilli vinegar; sea salt flakes for seasoning; a small handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
Method
▶ Heat the oil in a terracotta dish or frying pan. Once the oil is sizzling hot, add the garlic and chilli, stirring continuously for about 10 seconds until golden and aromatic.
▶ Add a splash of sweet chilli vinegar and as it vigorously simmers, releasing perfumed aromas, add the prawns and cook, stirring a few times.
▶ Once the prawns turn pink, after 1 or 2 minutes of cooking, remove from the heat and season with sea salt flakes.
▶ Once the prawns are cool enough to eat, scatter with parsley and serve with small forks or toothpicks as the perfect sharing starter. Finish off with crusty bread to soak up all that flavour-infused olive oil.
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
At Eternity’s Gate
Director: Julian Schnabel
Starring: Willem Dafoe, Oscar Isaacs, Mads Mikkelsen
Three stars
Film: Raid
Dir: Rajkumar Gupta
Starring: Ajay Devgn, Ileana D'cruz and Saurabh Shukla
Verdict: Three stars
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
RESULT
Liverpool 4 Southampton 0
Jota (2', 32')
Thiago (37')
Van Dijk (52')
Man of the match: Diogo Jota (Liverpool)
List of alleged parties
- May 15 2020: Boris Johnson is said to have attended a Downing Street pizza party
- 27 Nov 2020: PM gives speech at leaving do for his staff
- Dec 10 2020: Staff party held by then-education secretary Gavin Williamson
- Dec 13 2020: Mr Johnson and his then-fiancee Carrie Symonds throw a flat party
- Dec 14 2020: Shaun Bailey holds staff party at Conservative Party headquarters
- Dec 15 2020: PM takes part in a staff quiz
- Dec 18 2020: Downing Street Christmas party
Cryopreservation: A timeline
- Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
- Ovarian tissue surgically removed
- Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
- Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
- Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
Tips on buying property during a pandemic
Islay Robinson, group chief executive of mortgage broker Enness Global, offers his advice on buying property in today's market.
While many have been quick to call a market collapse, this simply isn’t what we’re seeing on the ground. Many pockets of the global property market, including London and the UAE, continue to be compelling locations to invest in real estate.
While an air of uncertainty remains, the outlook is far better than anyone could have predicted. However, it is still important to consider the wider threat posed by Covid-19 when buying bricks and mortar.
Anything with outside space, gardens and private entrances is a must and these property features will see your investment keep its value should the pandemic drag on. In contrast, flats and particularly high-rise developments are falling in popularity and investors should avoid them at all costs.
Attractive investment property can be hard to find amid strong demand and heightened buyer activity. When you do find one, be prepared to move hard and fast to secure it. If you have your finances in order, this shouldn’t be an issue.
Lenders continue to lend and rates remain at an all-time low, so utilise this. There is no point in tying up cash when you can keep this liquidity to maximise other opportunities.
Keep your head and, as always when investing, take the long-term view. External factors such as coronavirus or Brexit will present challenges in the short-term, but the long-term outlook remains strong.
Finally, keep an eye on your currency. Whenever currency fluctuations favour foreign buyers, you can bet that demand will increase, as they act to secure what is essentially a discounted property.
