6 May – 12 May: LNA attacks central Tripoli

May 13, 2020 | International actors

On 7 May, the Libyan National Army (LNA) launched grad rockets into the Zawiyat Dahmani area of central Tripoli, striking within the vicinity of the Government of National Accord (GNA) Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Supreme Court, and the Turkish and Italian Ambassadors’ residencies. Two police officers and 5 civilians were reportedly killed in the attack, while two more were injured.  The incident resulted in significant commendation from the international actors targeted, as well as from other international actors.

On 11 May, the Foreign Ministers of Cyprus, Egypt, France, Greece and the UAE issued a joint declaration in which they “expressed their deepest concern over the current escalation and continuous provocative actions in the Eastern Mediterranean” and in particular denounced Turkey’s “illegal activities” in Cypriot territorial waters and in Greek airspace and land borders.  The declaration reiterated that the two Memorandums of Understanding on maritime jurisdictions and security cooperation signed in November 2019 between Turkey and GNA head Fayez al-Serraj are “in contravention of international law and the UN arms embargo in Libya.”  The declaration stressed the commitment to refrain from any military foreign intervention in Libya as agreed in the conclusions of the Berlin conference.