As Ramadan looms, Libya’s prime minister seeks victory over Libyan National Army
Tonight marks the beginning of Ramadan, the Muslim holy month.
Libya’s Government of National Accord (GNA) has stated that it hopes to finally defeat its rival, Khalifa Haftar’s self-declared Libyan National Army (LNA), during the holiday. The internationally-recognised GNA has experienced a string of successes recently, capturing seven different towns from LNA forces.
The UN has asked both factions to lay down arms to combat the larger threat of COVID-19, but the request has fallen on deaf ears. Further decreasing the chance of a ceasefire, the UN’s diplomatic envoy to Libya has since pulled back due to concerns about the pandemic.
Although only 51 cases have been confirmed in the country, the true number is certainly much higher due to scarce testing. With hospitals constantly under fear of attack and a reluctance from both sides to stop fighting, little stands in the way of a massive outbreak. However, expect the pandemic to advantage the GNA as its opponents lack significant disease-combating measures. Conversely, the GNA is privy to expertise from the Libyan National Center for Disease Control, located in its capital of Tripoli.
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