Clashes continue in Benghazi
Continued fighting between Libyan army troops and ISIS fighters in Benghazi resulted in ten deaths over the weekend and the LNA claiming to have killed over 50 ISIS fighters since the campaign started ten days ago. Meanwhile in western Libyan there still seems to be considerable confusion as to who is actually prepared to back the UN-brokered peace deal and who opposes it, with rival militias still far from signing-off on any pact.

By Libya Herald reporter.

Tunis, 27 September 2015:

Misratan units are said to have reinforced positions south west of the capital amid fears . . .[restrict]that its military rapprochement with Zintan and the Warshafana has broken down.

Social media showed photos of armoured vehicles supposedly from Zintan approaching Zahra bridge, still guarded by Misratan forces, while military sources in Misrata said they feared an imminent attack on Tripoli.

However, Janzur Municipal Council has announced on its social media site that the arrival of Zintani forces in nearby Azziziya posed no threat and that they were there as part of an agreement to protect the new national unity government and to set up security positions around the capital.

For the past few weeks, there have been persistent reports from reliable Libyan and diplomatic sources that, in preparation for the new UN-brokered government, the Zintanis and Misratans had agreed and planned a joint force to secure Tripoli.

Over the same period, Misrata has pulled its forces out of the area west of the city, doing peace deals with Warshefana and others in the area, much to the anger of hardliners in Tripoli (as well as in Misrata itself) who want no agreement with their enemies.

In a reciprocal move by Zintan, it pulled back it forces, insisting that it would not launch any attacks.

Despite the latest moves around Zahra Bridge, sources in Zintan have told the Libya Herald that there has been no mobilisation or any change in its strategy.

However in Misrata itself over the weekend, there have been efforts spearheaded by the head of the Tripoli “government”, Khalifa Ghwell, to draw the city back to the cause of Libya Dawn and opposition to any deal, including one with the House of Representatives. [/restrict]