Forces opposed to Haftar with armed vehicles
seized from the LNA in 2019 [Getty]
The UAE, the biggest backer of Haftar's
confederation of militias and foreign mercenaries known as
the Libyan National Army (LNA), is attempting to salvage the
force's almost year-long
offensive to take the capital, which has been
significantly hampered by the GNA's successful drone
campaign.
Earlier this month, GNA drone strikes targeting
the LNA's Al-Watiya air base near Sirte destroyed an
ammunitions depot, a fighter jet and killed several troops,
with some reports saying that as many as 12 senior
commanders died in the attack.
Sources said that the UAE reached a deal with
Israel, with which it is increasing cooperating despite
having no formal relations, to provide Haftar with an
advanced air defence system produced by an Israeli
manufacturer.
The device was reportedly first transported to
Egypt and is set to travel on to eastern Libya after
training officers from Haftar's militia in its operation.
The sources added that tensions have been
arising between Egypt and the UAE over military cooperation
in Libya, after Cairo refused to conduct air strikes on GNA
targets, saying it was too expensive.
Egypt is currently gripped in an impending
economic crisis due to the coronavirus pandemic and its
previous financial support from the UAE ad Saudi Arabia has
dried up over the oil price crash.
Earlier this year, Jordan's air force supplied
Haftar's forces with six Chinese CH-4 drones, which are now
in operation in eastern Libya with assistance from Russian
technicians.
The UAE has sent weapons,
ammunition and drones to support Haftar’s
offensive on the capital, supplying some 3,000 tonnes of
machinery in January 2020 alone.
Weapons have been able to reach Libya despite a UN
arms embargo, which has been poorly enforced.
Several reports of covert Israeli assistance to
Haftar have emerged over recent years, including the training
of pro-Haftar militias in "street warfare" by
the Israeli military in 2019.
The UAE has also brokered
deals with Israeli intelligence agency Mossad to
provide Haftar's forces with military aid in the form of
sniper rifles and night vision equipment.
Haftar and his allied forces are based
primarily in eastern Libya and have been waging a campaign
to take the capital Tripoli from the GNA since April this
year.
The ensuing conflict has resulted in the deaths
of over 1,000 people, injured close to 6,000 and forced
120,000 people from their homes, according to UN figures.
Evidence for Haftar's complicity in war crimes
are mounting. Amnesty International have reported that the
rogue general's forces have engaged in indiscriminate
attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure, such as
residential areas and medical facilities.
