The President Donald Trump he had a telephone conversation with the marshal Khalifa Haftar to discuss ongoing counter-terrorism efforts and the "need to achieve peace and stability". The White House affirms this.
"The president acknowledged Haftar's significant role in fighting terrorism, and the two discussed a common vision for Libya's transition to a stable and democratic political system".
A phone call that alarmed Italy that just a few days ago had asked the US for help with the Libya dossier. Aid that aimed at other contacts, perhaps at the UN headquarters. Despite having met Haftar several times, Italy has always officially supported the government of Al Serraj, the only one recognized by international organizations. Trump's phone call to General Kalifa Haftar, therefore, induced Italian diplomacy to send a message to the American one. It is no coincidence that yesterday Trump communicated with a twitter message that he had heard the Italian premier Giuseppe Conte: "I spoke with the Italian prime minister, Giuseppe Conte, especially with regard to immigration, taxes, trade and the economy of both our countries. It was a very good phone call! "
As they say, a blow to the barrel and one to the circle. Too bad that Trump always announced the restriction of sanctions on Iran for crude oil exports even to those countries that had been excluded, namely Italy. Apparently the US ally is tightening its circle around our country, increasingly grappling with internal contradictions, which have proved harmful in foreign policy. The Americans have not digested the agreement of the Silk Road with the China, the Italian second thoughts on theF-35 and the strange and controversial proximity to Putin's Russia. The result for now is the increase in the price of crude oil and fuel for our cars.
In essence we are at risk of isolation.
The situation on the ground in Libya
Giordano Stabile, envoy of La Stampa in Beirut, reports that Haftar aircraft have hit positions of government forces but also homes and there would be civilian casualties, which took the overall balance from April 4 to 262 dead, including 80 children. The front, however, remained stalled, with Haftar's militias pushing on the eastern sector while those loyal to Al-Sarraj made an advance to the south. The government, between Saturday and Sunday, managed to break through in the suburb area of Ain Zara. But the bet on Gharian, the logistical base of the offensive launched two weeks ago by Haftar, has failed. The spokesman for the so-called Libyan National Army, led by the strongman from Cyrenaica, denied having lost ground and claimed a counter-offensive after the aircraft hit homes and killed. In any case, compared to the situation before the attack on the capital, the marshal gained much ground in Tripolitania and a cease-fire would consolidate his positions. Right now it is the maximum goal that diplomacy can achieve. The process started with the Skhirat agreements in December of the 2015, which was to lead to the reunification of the country and to elections by the end of this year, was sunk by the Haftar offensive and it is not clear how the two rivals could meet again and treat. The UN special envoy Ghassan Salame and Tunisia, the Arab country closest to the government of Al-Serraj, are working in a truce. The Tunisian foreign minister, Khemaies Jhinaoui, met the French ambassador in Libya, Beatrice Le Fraper Du Hellen, yesterday and insisted that "there is still time to stop the clashes and return to the UN-led political process", also because "the conflict threatens not only the security of Libya and its neighbors, but the entire Mediterranean and Europe". Mediation with France is fundamental. The Tripoli government has accused Paris of being the main sponsor of Haftar and in the capital they have seen parading Libyans wearing yellow vests and railing against Emmanuel Macron. But the regional sponsors of the marshal are more important. The latter were attributed by Tripoli to "drones of the Emirates". Local witnesses speak of noise similar to that of propeller planes, typical of drones, before the explosions caused by air-to-ground missiles. The Emirates have a base in Al Khadim, west of Benghazi, and the presence of unmanned Chinese-made aircraft has been documented by satellite photos.