Cairo supports the rival administration of Fathi Bashagha based in Benghazi (AC Vol 63 No 7 Dubaiba and Bashagha preside over a new east-west partition)...
But in reality the last 12 months have brought steady success for Dubaiba despite the failed move by the HoR last February to replace him as PM with former interior minister Fathi Bashagha (AC Vol 63 No 7 Dubaiba and Bashagha preside over a new east-west partition)...
The battle was part of another attempt to take the city by fighters supporting Fathi Bashagha who was appointed by the House of Representatives in February as prime minister to replace the incumbent Abdel Hamid Dubaiba...
The Tripoli prime minister is said to have done a deal with the United Arab Emirates one of the main suppliers and financiers of Libyan National Army (LNA) militia leader Gen Khalifa Haftar putting Bengdara in charge of the NOC in the hope of weaning the general away from the eastern-based prime minister Fathi Bashagha...
FRACTIOUS MILITIAS STILL HAVE CRUCIAL ROLE Despite the blows taken by the Sirte-based government of the prime minister appointed by the House of Representatives in February Fathi Bashagha he retains strong militia support in certain parts of western Libya and could yet try to march on the capital despite having failed in his three previous attempts...
But other militias which had backed him notably the Nawasi Brigade now support former interior minister Fathi Bashagha the man the HoR chose in February to succeed Dubaiba as interim prime minister...
In April the National Oil Corporation (NOC) declared force majeure after protestors demanding that interim Prime Minister Abdel Hamid Dubaiba hand power to his successor-designate Fathi Bashagha blockaded the Sharara and El Feel oilfields in south-western Libya and the Zueitina oil terminal south of Benghazi...
A new Government of National Stability (GNS) headed by Fathi Bashagha and close to Moscow is little more than a mirage (AC Vol 62 No 7 Dubaiba's honeymoon)...
The Tripoli government supports the west on the conflict while the rival Fathi Bashagha administration is linked via General Khalifa Haftar to the Kremlin...
In eastern Libya where Fathi Bashagha's Government of National Stability (GNS) rules the knock-on effects of war in Ukraine will be more severe...
DISPATCHES
In a point-blank challenge to Prime Minister Abdel Hamid Dubaiba's government in Tripoli the parliament in the eastern city of Tobruk the House of Representatives (HoR) endorsed a new government on 1 March to be led by former interior minister Fathi Bashagha (AC Vol 63 No 1 Political leaders versus the polls)...
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This has the potential to reconcile the bitterest of former enemies such as Gen Haftar and former Tripoli-based interior minister Fathi Bashagha whom Haftar and the HoR may support as premier if only to oust Dubaiba...
Conversely former interior minister Fathi Bashagha who is one of the few confirmed presidential candidates would be unable to campaign in the east (AC Vol 62 No 4 Fortune favours new regime)...
Nor did anyone predict that the current interior minister of the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) Fathi Bashagha would fail to be appointed prime minister...
