Fighting in Tripoli has destroyed the international airport, and electricity is down to nine hours a day
, the capital of Libya, children play on the beach, cafés buzz late into the night and the manager of a beauty parlour reports that laser treatments, hair-removals and nose-jobs are on the rise. “War hasn’t put off custom,” says Kherea Dughman. About 15km away a rebel army is fighting to take the capital. But after eight years of civil war, Libyans have become inured to the rumble of artillery.
Militias that had previously fought each other have rallied against Mr Haftar. On June 26th they captured Gharyan, cutting his supply line to the south . That leaves his troops over 1,000km from their main base at al-Rajmah. Whereas the defenders of Tripoli can go home and shower at the end of a day of fighting, Mr Haftar’s troops are in the desert. The tribes backing him are reluctant to send more men.
Foreign intervention risks turning a civil war into a regional one. In June Mr Haftar’s men threatened to strike all Turkish vessels in Libyan waters. It detained six Turkish sailors and released them only after Turkey threatened military action.Security Council is too divided to restrain the parties. Libya’s former colonial rulers, France and Italy, have backed opposing sides, fuelled by their oil interests.
As Mr Haftar tries to regain the initiative, however, that could change. Although he controls most of the fields, aembargo on non-government sales prevents him from boosting his own coffers while shrinking those of the government. Previous efforts to sell oil independently were thwarted by America, but Mr Haftar is thought to be mulling trying again.
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