southfront--2020-07-01--Internal Tensions Do Not Stop Militants From Provocations In Southern Idlib

Late on June 30 , fighting resumed near the villages of Kansafrah , Al-Ruwayha and Bayanin in southern Idlib between the Syrian Army and Turkish-backed militants .
Intense artillery shelling also targeted positions of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham across the Jabal Al-Zawiyah area .
Pro-militant sources claimed that the Syrian Army and the National Defense Forces tried to advance there , but were forced to retreat after several hours of clashes .
In their own turn , pro-government sources say that the fighting in southern Idlib came as a result of a provocation by militants .
Nonetheless , by the morning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ frontline had stabilized .
During the past week , Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and its counterparts from Fa Ithbatu , also an al-Qaeda-linked coalition of militant groups , were too busy with infighting and accusing each other of undermining the values of the so-called Syrian revolution .
So , they were not able to concentrate any significant strike force able to deliver real damage to the Syrian Army in southern Idlib .
The security situation remains complicated in the province of Daraa .
Tensions there are a result of the conflict between the army @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who had reconciled with the Damascus government and formally joined the 5th Assault Corps .
As a result , at least 5 soldiers were recently killed in the countryside of the provincial capital and the army withdrew from the village of Kahil Jizah .
Local fighters seized all the checkpoints surrounding the village and removed pro-government banners from the area .
The situation in Daraa province showcases the existing difficulties in the ongoing reconciliation process in southern Syria .
Some former members of militant groups still remain committed to their radical ideology and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time , they continue to demand protection and resources for their areas in the framework of the reconciliation .
Actions like those in Kahil Jizah undermine the peace process and set conditions for a new round of violence .
In northeastern Syria , forces of Turkish-backed militant groups shelled positions of the Syrian Democratic Forces near Kashal Ubayd , northwest of Ayn Issa .
However , no casualties were reported there .
In a separate development , SDF security forces closed the perimeter of the prison for ISIS members in al-Hasakah city .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ may have fled there .
These reports remain unconfirmed .
Russia has opted to quit the United Nations system of humanitarian deconfliction in Syria because some of the system ’ s facilities were used by terrorists , Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzya said on June 29 at a meeting of the UN Security Council .
“ Our own investigations have repeatedly shown that some of the objects [ listed using the mechanism ] were used as headquarters of terrorists , therefore they should not have been given humanitarian status , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will continue to fulfill its obligations under international humanitarian law.
” We suggest that from now on the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs settle the issue of deconfliction directly with the Syrian authorities .
It would be right , ” Nebenzya added .
It should be noted that during the active phase of the conflict , mainstream media and Western diplomats repeatedly accused the Russian Aerospace Forces of intentionally bombing civilian and humanitarian targets .
Russian and Syrian sources say that these supposed humanitarian facilities were in fact a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ terrorist groups .

Support SouthFront
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
DEAR FRIENDS. IF YOU LIKE THIS TYPE OF CONTENT, SUPPORT SOUTHFRONT WORK: PayPal: southfront@list.ru, http://southfront.org/donate/ or via: https://www.patreon.com/southfront, BTC: 3Gbs4rjcVUtQd8p3CiFUCxPLZwRqurezRZ, BCH ABC: qpf2cphc5dkuclkqur7lhj2yuqq9pk3hmukle77vhq, ETH: 0x9f4cda013e354b8fc285bf4b9a60460cee7f7ea9
Late on June 30, fighting resumed near the villages of Kansafrah, Al-Ruwayha and Bayanin in southern Idlib between the Syrian Army and Turkish-backed militants. Intense artillery shelling also targeted positions of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham across the Jabal Al-Zawiyah area. Pro-militant sources claimed that the Syrian Army and the National Defense Forces tried to advance there, but were forced to retreat after several hours of clashes. In their own turn, pro-government sources say that the fighting in southern Idlib came as a result of a provocation by militants. Nonetheless, by the morning of July 1 the situation on the frontline had stabilized.
During the past week, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and its counterparts from Fa Ithbatu, also an al-Qaeda-linked coalition of militant groups, were too busy with infighting and accusing each other of undermining the values of the so-called Syrian revolution. So, they were not able to concentrate any significant strike force able to deliver real damage to the Syrian Army in southern Idlib.
The security situation remains complicated in the province of Daraa. Tensions there are a result of the conflict between the army and some of the former militants, who had reconciled with the Damascus government and formally joined the 5th Assault Corps. As a result, at least 5 soldiers were recently killed in the countryside of the provincial capital and the army withdrew from the village of Kahil Jizah. Local fighters seized all the checkpoints surrounding the village and removed pro-government banners from the area.
The situation in Daraa province showcases the existing difficulties in the ongoing reconciliation process in southern Syria. Some former members of militant groups still remain committed to their radical ideology and hard-core anti-government views. At the same time, they continue to demand protection and resources for their areas in the framework of the reconciliation. Actions like those in Kahil Jizah undermine the peace process and set conditions for a new round of violence.
In northeastern Syria, forces of Turkish-backed militant groups shelled positions of the Syrian Democratic Forces near Kashal Ubayd, northwest of Ayn Issa. However, no casualties were reported there. In a separate development, SDF security forces closed the perimeter of the prison for ISIS members in al-Hasakah city. Local sources speculate that several ISIS members may have fled there. These reports remain unconfirmed.
Russia has opted to quit the United Nations system of humanitarian deconfliction in Syria because some of the system’s facilities were used by terrorists, Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzya said on June 29 at a meeting of the UN Security Council.
“Our own investigations have repeatedly shown that some of the objects [listed using the mechanism] were used as headquarters of terrorists, therefore they should not have been given humanitarian status,” he noted adding that “Russia will continue to fulfill its obligations under international humanitarian law.”
We suggest that from now on the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs settle the issue of deconfliction directly with the Syrian authorities. It would be right,” Nebenzya added.
It should be noted that during the active phase of the conflict, mainstream media and Western diplomats repeatedly accused the Russian Aerospace Forces of intentionally bombing civilian and humanitarian targets. Russian and Syrian sources say that these supposed humanitarian facilities were in fact a part of the military infrastructure of the terrorist groups.
Support SouthFront


southfront--2020-07-02--Battle Of Haftanin: Kurdish Forces Claim 22 Turkish Soldiers Were Killed

The Kurdish People ’ s Defense Forces , known as HPG , announced on June 30 that its fighters had killed 22 Turkish service members in a series of new attacks .
The HPG is the military wing of the Kurdistan Workers ’ Party , which is designated by Turkey as a terrorist group .
Last month , the Turkish military launched operation Claw-Tiger against the HPG in the northern part of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region .
The HPG has been referring to the operation as the “ battle of Haftanin.
” According to the HPG ’ s claims , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Colemerg , Haftanin and Khakurk between June 26 and 29 .
These claims appear to be false , as the Turkish Ministry of National Defense usually admits any losses within 24 hours .
Furthermore , local Turkish media didn ’ t report any causalities .
On July 3 , the HPG released a new statement on the “ battle of Haftanin.
” In the statement , the Kurdish guerrilla claimed that it had destroyed three fortified posts of the Turkish Armed Forces on the Dubshka hilltop in Haftanin .
Turkey is responding to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the northern part of the Kurdistan Region .
Turkish airstrikes have claimed lives of at least seven civilians since the beginning of Operation Claw-Tiger .
While the HPG ’ s repeated attacks are mostly ineffective , they prove that the guerrilla group has a strong presence in the Kurdistan Region .
The Turkish military is still yet to crop the group ’ s ever growing influence despite its repeated ground and aerial operations .
MORE ON THIS TOPIC :

Support SouthFront
The Kurdish People’s Defense Forces, known as HPG, announced on June 30 that its fighters had killed 22 Turkish service members in a series of new attacks.
The HPG is the military wing of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, which is designated by Turkey as a terrorist group. Last month, the Turkish military launched operation Claw-Tiger against the HPG in the northern part of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region. The HPG has been referring to the operation as the “battle of Haftanin.”
According to the HPG’s claims, the Turkish service members were killed in Colemerg, Haftanin and Khakurk between June 26 and 29.
These claims appear to be false, as the Turkish Ministry of National Defense usually admits any losses within 24 hours. Furthermore, local Turkish media didn’t report any causalities.
On July 3, the HPG released a new statement on the “battle of Haftanin.” In the statement, the Kurdish guerrilla claimed that it had destroyed three fortified posts of the Turkish Armed Forces on the Dubshka hilltop in Haftanin.
“We couldn’t count the number of the enemies’ dead and wounded,” the statement reads.
Turkey is responding to these attacks by carrying out more airstrikes on the northern part of the Kurdistan Region. Turkish airstrikes have claimed lives of at least seven civilians since the beginning of Operation Claw-Tiger.
While the HPG’s repeated attacks are mostly ineffective, they prove that the guerrilla group has a strong presence in the Kurdistan Region. The Turkish military is still yet to crop the group’s ever growing influence despite its repeated ground and aerial operations.
MORE ON THIS TOPIC:
Support SouthFront


southfront--2020-07-02--Russian Foreign Ministry’s Crisis Management Center Twitter Account Hacked

UPDATE ( 14:35 CEST ) : The account seems to be inactive now .
On July 1st , the Twitter account of the Russian Foreign Ministry ’ s Crisis Management Centre was hacked .
An advertisement was published , saying that for 66 BTC ( bitcoins ) anybody could receive a register of relevant June 2020 tourist payments for trips abroad from the database of the Unified Portal of State and Municipal Services ( EGPU ) .
The tweet itself , from an official Russian government account was evidence enough that they could provide the information , and there was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a striking example of incompetence – a Russian government was hacked , and more than half a day later , it still remains hacked with an advertisement to sell citizens ’ private information remaining as the sticky tweet .
• The responsible persons have failed to return ownership of the government account , which is dubious , at best .
• The Crisis Management Centre ’ s account is paid so little attention that they ’ ve not yet realized it has been hacked .
After all , these hacked tweets are the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a long while .
Everything else is just a re-tweet from other government accounts , meaning that it could simply be logged into a Twitter deck and little interest is paid to an account that should be responsible for managing crises .
Finally , if the advertisement is true , this means that the Foreign Ministry ’ s security was compromised and there is a massive data leak of personal payment information of Russian citizens .
MORE ON THE TOPIC :

Support SouthFront
UPDATE (14:35 CEST): The account seems to be inactive now.
***
On July 1st, the Twitter account of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Crisis Management Centre was hacked.
https://twitter.com/MID_travel/status/1278435529609097218
An advertisement was published, saying that for 66 BTC (bitcoins) anybody could receive a register of relevant June 2020 tourist payments for trips abroad from the database of the Unified Portal of State and Municipal Services (EGPU).
The tweet itself, from an official Russian government account was evidence enough that they could provide the information, and there was a throwaway email attached.
This is a striking example of incompetence – a Russian government was hacked, and more than half a day later, it still remains hacked with an advertisement to sell citizens’ private information remaining as the sticky tweet.
And there’s two options:
The responsible persons have failed to return ownership of the government account, which is dubious, at best. The Crisis Management Centre’s account is paid so little attention that they’ve not yet realized it has been hacked. After all, these hacked tweets are the only tweets originally posted by the account in a long while. Everything else is just a re-tweet from other government accounts, meaning that it could simply be logged into a Twitter deck and little interest is paid to an account that should be responsible for managing crises.
Finally, if the advertisement is true, this means that the Foreign Ministry’s security was compromised and there is a massive data leak of personal payment information of Russian citizens.
MORE ON THE TOPIC:
Support SouthFront


southfront--2020-07-02--Horas Al-Din Field Commander Assassinated In Eastern Idlib

Late on July 1 , a field commander of al-Qaeda-affiliated Horas al-Din known as Azzam al-Deiri was assassinated in the eastern Idlib countryside .
According to local sources , unidentified gunmen targeted al-Deiri ’ s vehicle on the road linking Idlib city with the town of Binnish .
The terrorist , who occupied a minor position in Horas al-Din , died on the spot .
The sources also noted that an unidentified unmanned aerial vehicle was circling over the Idlib-Binnish road at the time of the incident .
Hay ’ at Tahrir al-Sham ( HTS ) was held responsible for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ al-Din .
The group engaged in a heated conflict with Horas al-Din last month .
Nevertheless , there is no evidence proving that it was behind the assassination of al-Deiri .
Last month , Horas al-Din lost three leaders in suspected U.S. drone strikes on Greater Idlib .
Qassam al-Urduni and Bilal al-Sanani were targeted on June 14 .
Ten days later , Abu Adnan al-Homsi was killed .
The attacks on Horas al-Din ’ s leaders appear to be a part of the campaign meant to eliminate the group ’ s leadership @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of HTS , that sees the group as a threat to its grip on Greater Idlib .
MORE ON THIS TOPIC :

Support SouthFront
Late on July 1, a field commander of al-Qaeda-affiliated Horas al-Din known as Azzam al-Deiri was assassinated in the eastern Idlib countryside.
According to local sources, unidentified gunmen targeted al-Deiri’s vehicle on the road linking Idlib city with the town of Binnish. The terrorist, who occupied a minor position in Horas al-Din, died on the spot.
The sources also noted that an unidentified unmanned aerial vehicle was circling over the Idlib-Binnish road at the time of the incident.
Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) was held responsible for the assassination by some supporters of Horas al-Din. The group engaged in a heated conflict with Horas al-Din last month. Nevertheless, there is no evidence proving that it was behind the assassination of al-Deiri.
Last month, Horas al-Din lost three leaders in suspected U.S. drone strikes on Greater Idlib. Qassam al-Urduni and Bilal al-Sanani were targeted on June 14. Ten days later, Abu Adnan al-Homsi was killed.
The attacks on Horas al-Din’s leaders appear to be a part of the campaign meant to eliminate the group’s leadership. This is playing into the hands of HTS, that sees the group as a threat to its grip on Greater Idlib.
MORE ON THIS TOPIC:
Support SouthFront


southfront--2020-07-02--Landslide Approval Of Constitutional Amendments Following Russian Referendum

On July 2nd , 100 % of the vote on the referendum in Russian for amendments on the constitution was counted .
• The results are : 77.92 % in favor , 21.27 % against .
There was not a single district that voted against , with the closest being in the Republic of Sakha ( Yakutia ) , which had a turnout of 50.4 % and results 58.34 % in favor and 40.65 % against .
In the week beginning on July 6th , Russian parliament will begin work on implementing the amendments to the constitution , the chairman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Law Andrei Klishas said .
He noted the convincing support by the Russians of amendments to the Basic Law .
The Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that the vote was considered a triumph .
Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said that the result of the vote posed new challenges for the government .
According to him , results of the vote on amendments to the Constitution confirmed the support of the country ’ s development course proposed by the president .
This , in itself , poses new challenges for the government and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Cabinet , the Russian Prime Minister said .
In a direct appeal to Russians just before the final day of the vote – July 1st , Russian President Vladimir Putin said they were voting for “ stability , safety , wellbeing and a decent life ” .
He also did not mention that the vote would allow him to return to power for a fifth and sixth term , if he chooses .
Western media wasted no time in reporting that the vote was , basically , a sham , such as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ matter : “ The results will allow the Kremlin to say that a vast majority of Russians back Putin ’ s continued rule beyond 2024 , the year that until now marked the end of his fourth and final term as president .
Ads for the vote barely mentioned that it would reset term limits for Putin .
In a single up-or-down vote , Russians also chose to support a package of amendments that include pension and minimum wage boosts , a modest reorganisation of government , a constitutional mention of “ faith @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gay marriage , exhortations to preserve Russian language and history , and a ban on top officials holding dual citizenship.
” According to the outlet , the vote was also with “ made up ” rules : A lot of criticism is aimed at the online part of the vote and that it lasted an entire week , which meant that there was a limited paper trail and this alone created various possibilities for abuses .
One of the main concerns of the mainstream propaganda is the ‘ conservative turn ’ , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the successful vote on the amendments to the constitution .
The accepted amendments not only strengthened the Russian system of the governance , but also secured the traditional values of the Russian society .
Russia has just publicly become an official alternative to the neo-liberal , minorities-ruled West .
At least , somewhere in Europe families committed to traditional values can feel themselves safe .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • First Results Of Russian Vote On Historic Amendments : Turnout Is About 63 % .
‘ YES ’ – Over 70 @

Support SouthFront
On July 2nd, 100% of the vote on the referendum in Russian for amendments on the constitution was counted.
The results are: 77.92% in favor, 21.27% against.
The voter turnout was 67.97%.
There was not a single district that voted against, with the closest being in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), which had a turnout of 50.4% and results 58.34% in favor and 40.65% against.
In the week beginning on July 6th, Russian parliament will begin work on implementing the amendments to the constitution, the chairman of the Federation Council Committee on Constitutional Law Andrei Klishas said.
“Parliament will begin work on laws next week to enforce the constitution,” Klishas said.
He noted the convincing support by the Russians of amendments to the Basic Law.
“A convincing victory for supporters of a strong social sovereign state. Voting took place without serious violations,” the senator said.
The Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that the vote was considered a triumph.
Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said that the result of the vote posed new challenges for the government. According to him, results of the vote on amendments to the Constitution confirmed the support of the country’s development course proposed by the president. This, in itself, poses new challenges for the government and strengthens the responsibility of each member of the Cabinet, the Russian Prime Minister said.
In a direct appeal to Russians just before the final day of the vote – July 1st, Russian President Vladimir Putin said they were voting for “stability, safety, wellbeing and a decent life”. He also did not mention that the vote would allow him to return to power for a fifth and sixth term, if he chooses.
Western media wasted no time in reporting that the vote was, basically, a sham, such as the Guardian’s report on the matter:
“The results will allow the Kremlin to say that a vast majority of Russians back Putin’s continued rule beyond 2024, the year that until now marked the end of his fourth and final term as president. Ads for the vote barely mentioned that it would reset term limits for Putin. In a single up-or-down vote, Russians also chose to support a package of amendments that include pension and minimum wage boosts, a modest reorganisation of government, a constitutional mention of “faith in God”, a ban on gay marriage, exhortations to preserve Russian language and history, and a ban on top officials holding dual citizenship.”
According to the outlet, the vote was also with “made up” rules:
“Meanwhile, officials appeared to make up the voting rules as they went along. Hours before polls closed on Wednesday, Russia’s elections committee released preliminary results for the vote, showing that 73% of Russians had supported the amendments.”
A lot of criticism is aimed at the online part of the vote and that it lasted an entire week, which meant that there was a limited paper trail and this alone created various possibilities for abuses.
One of the main concerns of the mainstream propaganda is the ‘conservative turn’, which is now officially ongoing in Russia thanks to the successful vote on the amendments to the constitution. The accepted amendments not only strengthened the Russian system of the governance, but also secured the traditional values of the Russian society. Russia has just publicly become an official alternative to the neo-liberal, minorities-ruled West. At least, somewhere in Europe families committed to traditional values can feel themselves safe.
MORE ON THE TOPIC:
Support SouthFront


southfront--2020-07-02--More Than 400 Paratroopers Land In Guam, As Part Of Biggest Exercise “In Memory”

On June 30th , more than 400 paratroopers from the US Army ’ s 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team ( Airborne ) , 25th Infantry Division parachuted into Guam as part of the Emergency Deployment Readiness Exercise from Joint Base Elemendorf-Richardson , Alaska .
Col. Christopher Landers , commander of U.S. Army Alaska ’ s 4-25 IBCT ( A ) , led the training mission to secure the airfield as part of U.S. Army Pacific ’ s participation in ongoing joint exercises throughout the region to include the Mariana Islands .
The paratroopers came via 5 C-17 Globemaster large military @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ground , paratroopers with the 3rd Battalion , 509 Airborne Infantry Regiment , one of two organic infantry-battalions in 4-25 IBCT ( A ) , seized objectives and secured the airfield .
The exercise began several days earlier , when the paratroopers were notified of the mock deployment and were screened for COVID-19 .
This came after on June 28th , two U.S. aircraft carriers kicked off joint exercises in the Philippine Sea .
Rear Adm. George Wikoff , the commander Carrier Strike Group 5 , said in a statement that the drills @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s ability to conduct “ all-domain warfighting operations.
” The USS Nimitz and USS Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Groups began the drills to bolster the United States ’ “ responsive , flexible , and enduring commitments ” to mutual defense agreements with allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific , the Navy said in a statement .
During a tele-summit hosted by ASEAN chair country Vietnam on June 27th , the international group issued a statement reaffirming the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea ( UNCLOS ) , which lays @ @ @ @ @ @ @ define their exclusive economic zones , which govern the special rights nations have to natural resources located there .
MORE ON THE TOPIC :

Support SouthFront
On June 30th, more than 400 paratroopers from the US Army’s 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division parachuted into Guam as part of the Emergency Deployment Readiness Exercise from Joint Base Elemendorf-Richardson, Alaska.
“The exercise was the largest airborne operation held on Guam in recent memory, according to Joint Region Marianas.”
Col. Christopher Landers, commander of U.S. Army Alaska’s 4-25 IBCT(A), led the training mission to secure the airfield as part of U.S. Army Pacific’s participation in ongoing joint exercises throughout the region to include the Mariana Islands.
“This scenario tested our ability to execute real-world missions and demonstrated that we are capable of deploying anywhere in the U. S. Indo-Pacific Command area at a moment’s notice.” said Landers.
The paratroopers came via 5 C-17 Globemaster large military transport aircraft. Immediately after hitting the ground, paratroopers with the 3rd Battalion, 509 Airborne Infantry Regiment, one of two organic infantry-battalions in 4-25 IBCT(A), seized objectives and secured the airfield.
The exercise began several days earlier, when the paratroopers were notified of the mock deployment and were screened for COVID-19.
“We are successfully balancing readiness and mission requirements with health and safety precautions to protect ourselves and our communities,” said Landers. “Andersen Air Force Base and Guam leadership have facilitated every one of our requirements. It’s been an incredible experience to work with them.”
This came after on June 28th, two U.S. aircraft carriers kicked off joint exercises in the Philippine Sea.
Rear Adm. George Wikoff, the commander Carrier Strike Group 5, said in a statement that the drills were intended to strengthen the Navy’s ability to conduct “all-domain warfighting operations.”
“The U.S. Navy remains mission ready and globally deployed. Dual carrier operations demonstrate our commitment to regional allies, our ability to rapidly mass combat power in the Indo-Pacific, and our readiness to confront all those who challenge international norms that support regional stability,” Wikoff said.
The USS Nimitz and USS Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Groups began the drills to bolster the United States’ “responsive, flexible, and enduring commitments” to mutual defense agreements with allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific, the Navy said in a statement.
The United States welcomes ASEAN Leaders’ insistence that South China Sea disputes be resolved in line with international law, including UNCLOS. China cannot be allowed to treat the SCS as its maritime empire. We will have more to say on this topic soon. https://t.co/IUmzD7OksC — Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) June 27, 2020
During a tele-summit hosted by ASEAN chair country Vietnam on June 27th, the international group issued a statement reaffirming the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which lays out the basis by which nations can define their exclusive economic zones, which govern the special rights nations have to natural resources located there.
MORE ON THE TOPIC:
Support SouthFront


southfront--2020-07-02--Why The US Empire Works So Hard To Control The International Narrative About Russia

Written by Caitlin Johnstone ; Originally appeared at her blog On a December 2010 episode of Fox News ’ , John Bolton and the show ’ s host Andrew Napolitano were debating about recent WikiLeaks publications , and naturally the subject of government secrecy came up .
“ Now I want to make the case for secrecy in government when it comes to the conduct of national security affairs , and possibly for deception where that ’ s appropriate , ” Bolton said .
“ You know Winston Churchill said during World War Two that in wartime truth is so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bodyguard of lies.
” “ Do you really believe that ?
” asked an incredulous Napolitano .
“ You would lie in order to preserve the truth ?
” asked Napolitano .
“ If I had to say something I knew was false to protect American national security , I would do it , ” Bolton answered .
“ Why do people in the government think that the laws of society or the rules don ’ t apply to them ?
” Napolitano asked .
“ Because they are not dealing in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Constitution , ” Bolton replied .
“ They are dealing in the anarchic environment internationally where different rules apply.
” “ But you took an oath to uphold the Constitution , and the Constitution mandates certain openness and certain fairness , ” Napolitano protested .
“ You ’ re willing to do away with that in order to attain a temporary military goal ?
” “ I think as Justice Jackson said in a famous decision , the Constitution is not a suicide pact , ” Bolton said .
“ And I think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ does require actions that in a normal business environment in the United States we would find unprofessional .
I don ’ t make any apology for it.
” I am going to type a sequence of words that I have never typed before , and don ’ t expect to ever type again : Bolton is of course right in his pathetic spin job on the use of lies to promote military agendas , which just looks like a feeble attempt to justify the psychopathic measures he himself took to deceive the world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Iraq .
What he is right about is that conflicts between nations take place in an “ anarchic environment internationally where different rules apply.
” Individual nations have governments with laws that are enforced by those governments .
Since we do not have a single unified government for our planet ( at least not yet ) , the interactions between those governments is largely anarchic , and not in a good way .
“ International law ” , in reality , only meaningfully exists to the extent that the international community is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ practice what this means is that only nations which have no influence over the dominant narratives in the international community are subject to “ international law ” .
This is why you will see leaders in African nations sentenced to prison by the International Criminal Court ( ICC ) for war crimes , but the USA can get away with actually sanctioning ICC personnel if they so much as talk about investigating American war crimes and suffer no consequences for it whatsoever .
It is also why Noam Chomsky famously said that if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ applied with fairness and consistency , then every post-war US president would have been hanged .
And this is also why so much effort gets poured into controlling the dominant international narrative about nations like Russia which have resisted being absorbed into the US power alliance .
If you have the influence and leverage to control what narratives the international community accepts as true about the behavior of a given targeted nation , then you can do things like manufacture international collaboration with aggressive economic sanctions of the sort Senate Minority Leader Chuck @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the the completely unsubstantiated narrative that Russia paid Taliban fighters bounties to kill occupying forces in Afghanistan .
In its ongoing slow-motion third world war against nations which refuse to be absorbed into the blob of the US power alliance , this tight empire-like cluster of allies stands everything to gain by doing whatever it takes to undermine and sabotage Russia in an attempt to shove it off the world stage and eliminate the role it plays in opposing that war .
Advancing as many narratives as possible about Russia doing nefarious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for international collaboration toward that end in the form of economic warfare , proxy conflicts , NATO expansionism and other measures , as well as facilitating a new arms race by killing the last of the US-Russia nuclear treaties and ensuring a continued imperial military presence in Afghanistan .
We haven ’ t been shown any hard evidence for Russians paying bounties in Afghanistan , and we almost certainly never will be .
This doesn ’ t matter as far as the imperial propagandists are concerned ; they know they don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ believed , they just need narrative control .
All the propagandists need to do is say over and over again that Russia paid bounties to kill the troops in Afghanistan in an increasingly assertive and authoritative tone , and after awhile people will start assuming it ’ s true , just because the propagandists have been doing this .
They ’ ll add new pieces of data to the narrative , none of which will constitute hard proof of their claims , but after enough “ bombshell ” stories reported in an assertive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will start assuming it ’ s a proven fact that Russia paid those bounties .
Narrative managers will be able to simply wave their hands at a disparate , unverified cloud of information and proclaim that it is a mountain of evidence and that anyone doubting all this proof must be a kook .
( This by the way is a textbook Gish gallop fallacy , where a bunch of individually weak arguments are presented to give the illusion of a single strong case . )
This is all because “ international law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the extent that governments around the world agree to pretend it exists .
As long as US-centralized empire is able to control the prevailing narrative about what Russia is doing , that empire will be able to continue to use the pretext of “ international law ” as a bludgeon against its enemies .
That ’ s all we ’ re really seeing here .

Support SouthFront
Written by Caitlin Johnstone; Originally appeared at her blog
On a December 2010 episode of Fox News’ Freedom Watch, John Bolton and the show’s host Andrew Napolitano were debating about recent WikiLeaks publications, and naturally the subject of government secrecy came up.
“Now I want to make the case for secrecy in government when it comes to the conduct of national security affairs, and possibly for deception where that’s appropriate,” Bolton said. “You know Winston Churchill said during World War Two that in wartime truth is so important it should be surrounded by a bodyguard of lies.”
“Do you really believe that?” asked an incredulous Napolitano.
“Absolutely,” Bolton replied.
“You would lie in order to preserve the truth?” asked Napolitano.
“If I had to say something I knew was false to protect American national security, I would do it,” Bolton answered.
“Why do people in the government think that the laws of society or the rules don’t apply to them?” Napolitano asked.
“Because they are not dealing in the civil society we live in under the Constitution,” Bolton replied. “They are dealing in the anarchic environment internationally where different rules apply.”
“But you took an oath to uphold the Constitution, and the Constitution mandates certain openness and certain fairness,” Napolitano protested. “You’re willing to do away with that in order to attain a temporary military goal?”
“I think as Justice Jackson said in a famous decision, the Constitution is not a suicide pact,” Bolton said. “And I think defending the United States from foreign threats does require actions that in a normal business environment in the United States we would find unprofessional. I don’t make any apology for it.”
I am going to type a sequence of words that I have never typed before, and don’t expect to ever type again:
John Bolton is right.
Bolton is of course not right in his pathetic spin job on the use of lies to promote military agendas, which just looks like a feeble attempt to justify the psychopathic measures he himself took to deceive the world into consenting to the unforgivably evil invasion of Iraq. What he is right about is that conflicts between nations take place in an “anarchic environment internationally where different rules apply.”
Individual nations have governments with laws that are enforced by those governments. Since we do not have a single unified government for our planet (at least not yet), the interactions between those governments is largely anarchic, and not in a good way.
“International law”, in reality, only meaningfully exists to the extent that the international community is collectively willing to enforce it. In practice what this means is that only nations which have no influence over the dominant narratives in the international community are subject to “international law”.
This is why you will see leaders in African nations sentenced to prison by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes, but the USA can get away with actually sanctioning ICC personnel if they so much as talk about investigating American war crimes and suffer no consequences for it whatsoever. It is also why Noam Chomsky famously said that if the Nuremberg laws had continued to be applied with fairness and consistency, then every post-war US president would have been hanged.
And this is also why so much effort gets poured into controlling the dominant international narrative about nations like Russia which have resisted being absorbed into the US power alliance. If you have the influence and leverage to control what narratives the international community accepts as true about the behavior of a given targeted nation, then you can do things like manufacture international collaboration with aggressive economic sanctions of the sort Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is currently calling for in response to the the completely unsubstantiated narrative that Russia paid Taliban fighters bounties to kill occupying forces in Afghanistan.
Sen. Schumer: "We need in this coming defense bill… tough sanctions against Russia." pic.twitter.com/L3M9hZg0Xm — The Hill (@thehill) June 28, 2020
In its ongoing slow-motion third world war against nations which refuse to be absorbed into the blob of the US power alliance, this tight empire-like cluster of allies stands everything to gain by doing whatever it takes to undermine and sabotage Russia in an attempt to shove it off the world stage and eliminate the role it plays in opposing that war. Advancing as many narratives as possible about Russia doing nefarious things on the world stage manufactures consent for international collaboration toward that end in the form of economic warfare, proxy conflicts, NATO expansionism and other measures, as well as facilitating a new arms race by killing the last of the US-Russia nuclear treaties and ensuring a continued imperial military presence in Afghanistan.
We haven’t been shown any hard evidence for Russians paying bounties in Afghanistan, and we almost certainly never will be. This doesn’t matter as far as the imperial propagandists are concerned; they know they don’t need actual facts to get this story believed, they just need narrative control. All the propagandists need to do is say over and over again that Russia paid bounties to kill the troops in Afghanistan in an increasingly assertive and authoritative tone, and after awhile people will start assuming it’s true, just because the propagandists have been doing this.
They’ll add new pieces of data to the narrative, none of which will constitute hard proof of their claims, but after enough “bombshell” stories reported in an assertive and ominous tone of voice, people will start assuming it’s a proven fact that Russia paid those bounties. Narrative managers will be able to simply wave their hands at a disparate, unverified cloud of information and proclaim that it is a mountain of evidence and that anyone doubting all this proof must be a kook. (This by the way is a textbook Gish gallop fallacy, where a bunch of individually weak arguments are presented to give the illusion of a single strong case.)
This is all because “international law” only exists in practical terms to the extent that governments around the world agree to pretend it exists. As long as US-centralized empire is able to control the prevailing narrative about what Russia is doing, that empire will be able to continue to use the pretext of “international law” as a bludgeon against its enemies. That’s all we’re really seeing here.
Support SouthFront


southfront--2020-07-02--Police Clear Out Seattle’s Autonomous Zone, After Protesters Reached Mayor’s House

On July 1st , Seattle police stepped in and cleared the “ Capital Hill Autonomous Zone ” in an early morning sweep .
This followed an executive order by Mayor Jenny Durkan .
Hundreds of police officers in riot gear pushed back the protesters in the autonomous zone and cleared it out .
Police entered bathrooms in search of protesters who had stayed behind and removed a barricade of trash cans erected by demonstrators to clear a path for an armored vehicle .
A protester with a megaphone told fellow demonstrators to peacefully exit the zone : Before it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , two deaths .
Prior to the police clearing it out , City Council member Kshama Sawant led a march to Durkan ’ s home , where she railed against the Mayor and police brutality with a crowd of BLM protesters .
Other than that , there were limited protests throughout the US , with little to no violence .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • Man Shot After Protester Fires Handgun Into SUV During Utah BLM Protest • “ Praying For Our City ” – Gunman Opens Fire On Protesters At Louisville @

Support SouthFront
On July 1st, Seattle police stepped in and cleared the “Capital Hill Autonomous Zone” in an early morning sweep.
This followed an executive order by Mayor Jenny Durkan.
Due to ongoing violence and public safety issues in the East Precinct/Cal Anderson Park area. Mayor Jenny Durkan has issued an executive order to vacate the area. Seattle police will be in the area this morning enforcing the Mayor’s order. https://t.co/SpVRYIB8eg pic.twitter.com/JAt2AvUTCr — Seattle Police Dept. (@SeattlePD) July 1, 2020
Hundreds of police officers in riot gear pushed back the protesters in the autonomous zone and cleared it out.
Anyone who remains in the area, or returns to the area, is subject to arrest. — Seattle Police Dept. (@SeattlePD) July 1, 2020
BREAKING: Seattle Police dismantle violent CHAZ district pic.twitter.com/B0Ope33RXQ — Jack Posobiec ?? (@JackPosobiec) July 1, 2020
Police entered bathrooms in search of protesters who had stayed behind and removed a barricade of trash cans erected by demonstrators to clear a path for an armored vehicle.
A protester with a megaphone told fellow demonstrators to peacefully exit the zone:
“We’ve made history, Everybody out,” Rick Hearns, yelled into his megaphone according to Seattle Times. “We’ll get another place. Don’t taunt the officers.”
Before it was cleared out, there were six shootings, two deaths.
Let's see: six shootings, two teenage deaths, and @MayorJenny still says "it's an arts festival". THEN, the CHAZ threatens to take over her 5,000 sq ft house worth $7.6 million after her new addition. A DAY LATER, she brings in the police, "end the chaos!" #Leadership #Comedy — James Altucher (@jaltucher) July 1, 2020
Prior to the police clearing it out, City Council member Kshama Sawant led a march to Durkan’s home, where she railed against the Mayor and police brutality with a crowd of BLM protesters.
Back inside the #CHOP zone. 12th and Pine. Lots of debris left. Crews cleaning up. Just watched Chief Best enter East Precinct. @KING5Seattle pic.twitter.com/HNAb6TOiI2 — Michael Crowe (@MichaelReports) July 1, 2020
#UPDATE: First look at the #CHOP zone since Seattle Police cleared it out this morning. Dozens of tents and lots belongings left, but all protestors have been cleared out. @KIRO7Seattle pic.twitter.com/dULugXBtBz — Deedee Sun (@DeedeeKIRO7) July 1, 2020
Other than that, there were limited protests throughout the US, with little to no violence.
MORE ON THE TOPIC:
Support SouthFront


southfront--2020-07-02--Erdogan Vows Government Control Of Social Media Over Insults On Twitter

On July 1st , Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed to tighten government control over all social media .
This was reportedly a result of insults directed at his daughter and son-in-law when they announced the birth of their fourth child on Twitter .
Addressing his party ’ s provincial leaders on conference call , Erdogan threatened new legislation by the year ’ s end to stringently regulate “ immoral ” social media .
He said his government is determined to introduce legislation that would force social media companies to establish a legal presence in Turkey .
The requirement would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and forced to respond to Turkish court decisions .
Finance Minister Berat Albayrak , who is married to Erdogan ’ s daughter Esra , announced the birth of their fourth child , Hamza Salih , on Twitter .
Erdogan said investigations were under way against those who “ attacked ” his family by “ abusing a newborn ” .
Erdogan blamed the issue on global social media companies , based in Western nations for “ turning a blind eye ” to Turkey .
“ We experienced similar attacks in the past .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a role in the rise of this sort of immoral behaviour , ” he said .
“ These platforms do not suit this country .
We want these platforms to be banned , taken under control.
” Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said a number of social media users had been detained overnight for allegedly posting insulting tweets .
Turkish authorities have previously imposed temporary blocks on Twitter and other social media during crises , for example , following an air attack in Syria ’ s Idlib that killed dozens of Turkish soldiers in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ TOPIC : • Turkey Drew Up Plans To Invade Greece and Armenia : Leaked Documents

Support SouthFront
On July 1st, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed to tighten government control over all social media.
This was reportedly a result of insults directed at his daughter and son-in-law when they announced the birth of their fourth child on Twitter.
Today, #Turkey's President declared his intention to kill all social media outlets, the last remaining platform for independent and critical journalism. His gov't already shut down 187 media outlets, jailed 175 journalists & forced 168 into exile. https://t.co/19WzlYpWXm pic.twitter.com/ITI0NAeItA — Abdullah Bozkurt (@abdbozkurt) July 1, 2020
Addressing his party’s provincial leaders on conference call, Erdogan threatened new legislation by the year’s end to stringently regulate “immoral” social media.
“Do you understand why we are against social media such as YouTube, Twitter and Netflix? To eradicate such immorality,” Erdogan said.
He said his government is determined to introduce legislation that would force social media companies to establish a legal presence in Turkey.
The requirement would mean they could be held financially accountable and forced to respond to Turkish court decisions.
Arayan, mesaj atan ve hayır duada bulunan herkese teşekkür ederiz ? Allah (cc) evlat isteyenlere bu eșsiz duyguyu lütfetsin, türlü sebeplerle evlat hasreti çekenlere de sabır ve metanet versin ?#HoşGeldinHamzaSalih — Berat Albayrak (@BeratAlbayrak) June 30, 2020
Finance Minister Berat Albayrak, who is married to Erdogan’s daughter Esra, announced the birth of their fourth child, Hamza Salih, on Twitter.
Erdogan said investigations were under way against those who “attacked” his family by “abusing a newborn”.
“We will keep chasing these cowards who attack a family and the values they believe represented by them through a baby,” Erdogan said.
Erdogan blamed the issue on global social media companies, based in Western nations for “turning a blind eye” to Turkey.
“We experienced similar attacks in the past. The lack of monitoring on these platforms have a role in the rise of this sort of immoral behaviour,” he said. “These platforms do not suit this country. We want these platforms to be banned, taken under control.”
Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said a number of social media users had been detained overnight for allegedly posting insulting tweets.
Turkish authorities have previously imposed temporary blocks on Twitter and other social media during crises, for example, following an air attack in Syria’s Idlib that killed dozens of Turkish soldiers in February this year.
MORE ON THE TOPIC:
Support SouthFront


southfront--2020-07-02--France Suspends Participation In Mediterranean NATO Op After Probe In Incident With Turkey

On July 1st , France informed NATO that it is suspending its participation in a naval operation in the Mediterranean after the results of a probe into an incident between French and Turkish warships .
According to the French Armed Forces Ministry , the country ’ s permanent representative to NATO , Muriel Domenach , sent a letter to Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg to inform him of the decision .
France said that on June 10th Turkish warships flashed their radar lights three times at the Courbet and that Turkish sailors had also put on bullet-proof vests and stood behind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Turkey has dismissed the French claims as “ groundless ” .
Stoltenberg said NATO officials were looking into the incident , adding : “ Those two NATO allies have totally different views on what actually happened.
” According to him , however , it is obvious “ that we need to support the UN efforts to find a politically negotiated solution to the conflict in Libya , ” he added .
In relation to the investigation into the incident , an official from the French Armed Forces Ministry said a letter had been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ demands : • a reaffirmation by alliance members of their commitment to respecting the embargo ; • ensuring NATO call signals were not used by countries during national missions ; • better coordination between NATO and EU missions enforcing the embargo ; • putting in place mechanisms to avoid similar incidents in the future .
France , following the incident with Turkey has been vocal in its opposition of Ankara ’ s operation in Libya , which supports the Government of National Accord ( GNA ) against Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Paris demands in particular “ that allies solemnly reaffirm their attachment and their commitment to the respect of the embargo ” on weapons to Libya , the official added .
France ’ s foreign minister said European Union foreign ministers would meet on July 13th to discuss Turkey , adding that new sanctions on Ankara could be considered .
“ At our request there will be a meeting of EU foreign ministers on July 13 solely on the Turkish question , ” Jean-Yves Le Drian told a parliamentary hearing .
“ Sanctions have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ EU over Turkey ’ s drilling in the Cyprus economic zone .
Other sanctions may be envisaged , ” he added .
MORE ON THE TOPIC : • Haftar Thanks France While Macron Denies Any Military Presence In Libya

Support SouthFront
On July 1st, France informed NATO that it is suspending its participation in a naval operation in the Mediterranean after the results of a probe into an incident between French and Turkish warships.
According to the French Armed Forces Ministry, the country’s permanent representative to NATO, Muriel Domenach, sent a letter to Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg to inform him of the decision.
France said that on June 10th Turkish warships flashed their radar lights three times at the Courbet and that Turkish sailors had also put on bullet-proof vests and stood behind their light weapons during the incident.
Turkey has dismissed the French claims as “groundless”.
Stoltenberg said NATO officials were looking into the incident, adding: “Those two NATO allies have totally different views on what actually happened.”
According to him, however, it is obvious “that we need to support the UN efforts to find a politically negotiated solution to the conflict in Libya,” he added.
In relation to the investigation into the incident, an official from the French Armed Forces Ministry said a letter had been sent to NATO on Tuesday outlining four demands:
a reaffirmation by alliance members of their commitment to respecting the embargo; ensuring NATO call signals were not used by countries during national missions; better coordination between NATO and EU missions enforcing the embargo; putting in place mechanisms to avoid similar incidents in the future.
“While waiting to move ahead on these demands, we have decided to temporarily withdraw our assets from Operation Sea Guardian,” the official said.” It doesn’t make sense to keep our assets … with allies who do not respect the embargo.”
France, following the incident with Turkey has been vocal in its opposition of Ankara’s operation in Libya, which supports the Government of National Accord (GNA) against Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar’s Libyan National Army (LNA).
“It does not seem to us healthy to maintain our assets in an operation supposed, among its various tasks, to control an embargo alongside allies who do not respect it,” an anonymous French official told media on July 1st.
Paris demands in particular “that allies solemnly reaffirm their attachment and their commitment to the respect of the embargo” on weapons to Libya, the official added.
France’s foreign minister said European Union foreign ministers would meet on July 13th to discuss Turkey, adding that new sanctions on Ankara could be considered.
“At our request there will be a meeting of EU foreign ministers on July 13 solely on the Turkish question,” Jean-Yves Le Drian told a parliamentary hearing. “Sanctions have already been taken on Turkey by the EU over Turkey’s drilling in the Cyprus economic zone. Other sanctions may be envisaged,” he added.
MORE ON THE TOPIC:
Support SouthFront


southfront--2020-07-02--Haftar Thanks France While Macron Denies Any Military Presence In Libya

The Clash Report news agency has published a video that compared the statements of the French President , Emmanuel Macron , and of the Libyan National Army ( LNA ) leader , Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar .
While Macron denied France ’ s military presence in Libya , Haftar assured the opposite and thanked the French nation for its invaluable support .
Emmanuel Macron said in his statement : Meanwhile , Khalifa Haftar emphasized the French support to LNA forces : ” We consider France as a friend .
This alliance was established with unprecedented cooperation between the two nations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us .
France not only supported us but it was also the first country to side with us .
They sided with us while other countries did not .
They supplied intelligence and surveillance to us .
They also sent advisors specialized in intelligence and reconnaissance .
One of their surveillance aircraft had crashed and 3 of their soldiers died .
The French government had continued to conduct surveillance flights for us .
They also offered further support for us .
We had benefited a lot from their support .
We have infinite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would like to thank the French nation once more and to express the importance of their support to our cause .
” The aircraft accident mentioned by Khalifa Haftar took place in 2016 , and it revealed the French military presence in Libya .
Three French soldiers were killed in a helicopter accident during an intelligence-gathering mission in Libya .
The Benghazi Defense Brigades ( BDB ) , a force of Islamists and other fighters expelled from Benghazi by LNA , claimed that it had shot the aircraft down .
The claims of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Haftar ’ s forces are heightening as tensions remain between France and Turkey , both NATO members , over issues related to the situation in Libya .
On July 1 , Paris informed NATO of its withdrawal from the naval operation in the Mediterranean after the results of a probe into an incident between French and Turkish warships .
Moreover , on June 26 , Macron held a video conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin , during which they had discussed the conflicts in Libya and Syria .
At the same time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ LNA leader loses the support of Paris .
It can probably be replaced soon by a personality that suits France and other parties supporting the LNA as Egypt and Russia .
The growing tensions between the sides involved in a Libyan conflict are quite dangerous as the numerous actors protect their national interests in this region .
The growing military presence of external forces in Libya increases the risks of escalation of a larger conflict .
MORE ON THE TOPIC :

Support SouthFront
The Clash Report news agency has published a video that compared the statements of the French President, Emmanuel Macron, and of the Libyan National Army (LNA) leader, Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar.
HINT: Clash Report has been actively working to push the pro-Turkish narrative regarding the conflicts in Syria and Libya. It’s mostly known for releasing footage (often doctored) of Turkish drone operations.
While Macron denied France’s military presence in Libya, Haftar assured the opposite and thanked the French nation for its invaluable support.
French President #Macron: France does not support Haftar. Militia leader of East Tripoli #Haftar: ?France supplied advisors and surveillance support to us. ?One of their surveillance aircraft had crashed and 3 of their soldiers died, but they did not stop supporting us. pic.twitter.com/aqjkjGrKMD — Clash Report (@clashreport) July 1, 2020
Emmanuel Macron said in his statement:
” France does not support Marshal Haftar. France is present in Libya is doing to offer a lasting political solution.”
Meanwhile, Khalifa Haftar emphasized the French support to LNA forces:
” We consider France as a friend. This alliance was established with unprecedented cooperation between the two nations. France did a great job supporting us. France not only supported us but it was also the first country to side with us. They sided with us while other countries did not. They supplied intelligence and surveillance to us. They also sent advisors specialized in intelligence and reconnaissance. One of their surveillance aircraft had crashed and 3 of their soldiers died. The French government had continued to conduct surveillance flights for us. They also offered further support for us. We had benefited a lot from their support. We have infinite gratitude to our French counterparts. I would like to thank the French nation once more and to express the importance of their support to our cause. ”
The aircraft accident mentioned by Khalifa Haftar took place in 2016, and it revealed the French military presence in Libya. Three French soldiers were killed in a helicopter accident during an intelligence-gathering mission in Libya. The Benghazi Defense Brigades (BDB), a force of Islamists and other fighters expelled from Benghazi by LNA, claimed that it had shot the aircraft down.
The claims of pro-Turkish media outlets regarding the French support for Haftar’s forces are heightening as tensions remain between France and Turkey, both NATO members, over issues related to the situation in Libya. On July 1, Paris informed NATO of its withdrawal from the naval operation in the Mediterranean after the results of a probe into an incident between French and Turkish warships. Moreover, on June 26, Macron held a video conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin, during which they had discussed the conflicts in Libya and Syria.
At the same time, the figure of Haftar as the LNA leader loses the support of Paris. It can probably be replaced soon by a personality that suits France and other parties supporting the LNA as Egypt and Russia.
The growing tensions between the sides involved in a Libyan conflict are quite dangerous as the numerous actors protect their national interests in this region. The growing military presence of external forces in Libya increases the risks of escalation of a larger conflict.
MORE ON THE TOPIC:
Support SouthFront