Rupert Wieloch

The Libyan National Army is assaulting militant positions in the Suq al-Hut district of Benghazi and a commander in the najdah, a police emergency response unit, was killed yesterday.  There has also been an explosion at an arms dump in the south of the city, reportedly caused by the heat.

In 2011, we completed a project to make Libya safer and prevent the accidental cook-off of unstable ammunition in the Martyrs’ Museum in Misratah.  See page 264 of Belfast to Benghazi for the remnants of war story.

https://www.waterstones.com/book/belfast-to-benghazi/rupert-wieloch/9781861515667

At 8.20 p.m. on 3rd May 1995, a United Nations base in Bosnia was attacked by a T-55 tank for the second time in four days.  Despite suffering many casualties, the British, Canadian and New Zealand troops responded magnificently, protecting the vulnerable civilians and setting the standard for UNPROFOR  Safe Areas.

Just before the genocide in Srebrenica, Daniel McGrory described these soldiers as “Saviours of the Children” when he described the humanitarian work of Corporal Steve Dowsett and other Queen’s Royal Lancers in the Bosnian siege town of Maglaj.

See chapter 3 of Belfast to Benghazi for the story of the defence of Maglaj and subsequent frustrations when Srebrenica fell.

https://www.waterstones.com/book/belfast-to-benghazi/rupert-wieloch/9781861515667

The Government of National Accord’s Foreign Minister has admitted in London that Libya has refused requests to take positive action against the militias engaged in smuggling illegal migrants.

He insisted that Libya would not be “Europe’s Policeman” and stated that Libya must be allowed to solve its own internal problems without continued external interference.   The GNA is running out of time; what will it take for them to establish law and order and provide effective security for their population?   See Chapter 6 of Belfast to Benghazi.

https://www.waterstones.com/book/belfast-to-benghazi/rupert-wieloch/9781861515667

 

ICC chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda in The Hague has issued an arrest warrant for Qaddafi’s head of Internal Security, Al-Tuhamy Mohamed Khaled, for 4 crimes against humanity during the 2011 revolution.

This is the fourth warrant issued publicly by the ICC, following those for Muammar and Saif Al-Islam Qaddafi and Abdullah Senussi, the former intelligence chief.

See chapter 6 of Belfast to Benghazi for the story of Saif’s capture in November 2011.

IWM is hosting a “Meet the Author” event on Friday 21st April between 11 am and 4 pm when I am signing copies of Belfast to Benghazi and answering questions about the British Army and Modern War, including the revolution in Libya.

Other exciting exhibitions include: War of Terror; Fighting for Peace; Reflections on Helmand; and Syria: A Conflict Explored.

IWM is close to Waterloo Station in Lambeth Road, London SE1 6HZ – the nearest tube is Lambeth North.

http://www.iwm.org.uk/visits/iwm-london/your-visit

In a positive step forward, the Libyan National Army has given permission for Benghazi’s Benina Airport to re-open.  This civilian airport has been closed since May 2014, but the civil aviation authority has said that air ambulance, humanitarian, VIP and general cargo flights can now be resumed. In 2011, these Sukhoi aircraft were disabled at the Benina military airbase to prevent them being used against civilian targets.  See Chapter 6 of Belfast to Benghazi…

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Belfast-Benghazi-Untold-Challenges-War/dp/1861515669

The HoL EU External Affairs Sub Committee has taken evidence on illegal migration stemming from Libya.  More than 1 million are in the pipe-line, with EU Operation Sophia criticised for “incentivising failure”.  The EU held the lead for Libyan border security in the porous Sahel after Gadhafi was overthrown, but failed to establish any control. This is one of the ten strategic security risks discussed in Chapter 6 of Belfast to Benghazi.

https://www.waterstones.com/book/belfast-to-benghazi/rupert-wieloch/9781861515667

It is reported that the commander of Tobruk’s Abdul Nasser Air Base was killed when his jet crashed into a house, whilst returning from a bombing raid today.  He was a brave man and our sympathies go to his family.  When I visited  Tobruk in February 2012, the Mig-21s were poorly maintained and there were insufficient specialist tools and parts, such as ejector seat cartridges.   See page 268 of Belfast to Benghazi:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Belfast-Benghazi-Untold-Challenges-War/dp/1861515669

On Monday and last Wednesday, experts at RUSI counter terrorism discussions highlighted the likelihood that an attack on an iconic target would get through.  Coincidence?

https://www.waterstones.com/book/belfast-to-benghazi/rupert-wieloch/9781861515667

The British ambassador, Peter Millett, flew to Benghazi after the Libyan National Army recaptured the oil facilities at Ras Lanuf to meet its commander-in-chief, Khalifa Hafterat.  According to a high-ranking LNA source, Millett regretted that much had been said about the UK’s negative role in Libya.  It’s time to reopen the British Embassy in Tripoli to improve perceptions.