Joint US-Libyan forces raid al Qaeda site in Libyan city of Ubari

Joint U.S.-Libyan forces raided an al Qaeda site in the Libyan city of Ubari on Wednesday, according to a statement by a Libyan official.

The spokesperson for Fayez al-Sarraj, head of the Presidency Council of the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord of Libya, said in a statement late on Wednesday that a site with a number of al Qaeda members in Ubari was “raided” but gave no details.

“This joint work between the Presidency Council of the Government of National Accord and the US Government coincided with the meeting of US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Foreign Minister Mohamed Sayala at the Global Coalition To Defeat Islamic State meeting last week”, spokesperson Mohamed El Sallak said in the statement.

The U.S. Africa Command, which is responsible for American forces in that area, could not immediately be reached for comment. – Via Reuters 

In Other news 

The Interior Minister of the Libyan Presidential Council Fathi Bashagha reviewed with the US assistant secretary of state cooperation between the two countries.

Bashagha and the US official talked about cooperation in fighting terrorism, security of borders, and fighting illegal immigration.

They also discussed fighting crime, drugs and also the tackling of mines’ issues in Libya, talking about training Libyan security personnel in that regard, besides the issues of the internally displaced people in Libya. Libya Observer

A migrant boat in the Mediterranean Sea off Libya’s coast was in distress with an estimated 150 people on board, activists said on Monday.

On Tuesday the migrants on the boat were picked up by a merchant ship and taken back to Al-Khoms in Libya, dpa reports.

The migrants on board were allegedly told that the merchant ship would take them to Rome, the aid organization Alarm Phone wrote on Twitter. – Libya Express

The Libyan Ministry of Transportation said it had resumed work at the Tripoli International Airport after being suspended over the recent clashes in southern Tripoli. The media office of the ministry said the work now targets building two new passengers’ lounges – one for domestic flights and the second for international ones.

The office also added that repairing work had been resumed after security measures were put in place by the security preparations committee in coordination with the Interior Ministry. – Libya Observer

The Khalifa Hafter-led Libyan National Army (LNA), as well as forces aligned to it, claimed that they had taken full control of the Sharara oilfield yesterday.

There were many photos and videos posted by the LNA media department as well as social media purporting to show the LNA and it’s allied forces in the oilfield.

There is no irrefutable evidence as yet that the LNA coalition have total and permanent control of the oilfield.

It is also unclear if there will be a counter move to regain control of the oilfield by the anti-Hafter forces, including forces representing the Faiez Serraj Presidency Council and Government of National Accord in Tripoli. – Libya Herald