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By Libya Herald staff.
Tripoli, 17 December 2014:
As of Wednesday morning, it was reported that nearly 30 members of Libya Dawn forces . . .[restrict]had been killed and 270 wounded since the beginning of its “Operation Sunrise” attack on Libya’s “Oil Crescent”, where the main oil ports are located.
The operation was launched last Friday by Libya Dawn for control of the oil facilities and ports located in eastern Libya.
According to a source from within the the Libyan National Army (LNA) which is loyal to the Thinni government and the House of Representatives, the air force (LAF) bombed a convoy of armed vehicles east of Sirte heading toward Bin Jawad, destroying most of them. The source added that the LAF had also bombed the “Operation Sunrise” operations room, causing a severe breakdown in communication between the different Libya Dawn units.
The Petroleum Facility Guards (PFG), led by federalist Ibrahim Jadhran, had also reinforced the Oil Crescent region with heavy weapons, backed by the Libyan Army, the source claimed.
This is the first time that Jadhran has relied upon the backing of national forces since retired general Khalifa Hafter started his campaign in Benghazi, revealing the gravity of situation for the eastern oil ports.
Operation Sunrise spokesman Ismail Ashukri has said that the operation’s sole task was to wrest the ports from the control of Jadhran and the PFG who, according to Ashukri, are “terrorists” who have turned the oil ports into military bases and warehouses for weapons.
Operation Sunrise was set up under a decision by GNC president Nuri Abu Sahmain in his self-declared role as Commander-in-Chief on 30 November assigning an armed force to protect and secure the oil export terminals in the east of the country, Ashukri said. It had one task: to secure oil facilities in the east and return them back to the control of the Tripoli-based administration. As soon as this was achieved, the operation would cease. [/restrict]
