Three months have passed since the launch of Operation Dignity led by retired general Khalifa Haftar in the east of Libya against Ansar al-Shariah and other armed formations. 

“Our forces are in Benghazi and they were able to disperse these organizations,” claimed the operation’s spokeman Muhammad Hijazi, in a previous interview with Correspondents.

Three months have passed since the launch of Operation Dignity led by retired general Khalifa Haftar in the east of Libya against Ansar al-Shariah and other armed formations. 

“Our forces are in Benghazi and they were able to disperse these organizations,” claimed the operation’s spokeman Muhammad Hijazi, in a previous interview with Correspondents.

However, once the Thunderbolts—Operation Dignity allies—led by Colonel Wanis Bu Khamada, withdrew from their strongholds in Benghazi, after the “open the door of hell” battle launched by the Benghazi Revolutionaries Council—Ansar al-Sharia and their allies— during the last 10 days of Ramadan, after which it controlled the army’s camps in the city, questions have arisen about just how effective Operation Dignity has been.

Dina Umran, a blogger, told Correspondents she is unhappy with Operation Dignity because of Ansar al-Shaira’s victory over Thunderbolt. “There is something wrong with the leadership,” she said. “They do not have a vision and they do not have alternative plans to avoid defeat.” 

Absence of vision  

The Libyan Research and Development Center issued a political analysis this month on the losses of the Thunderbolts’ strongholds and the feelings of discontent and frustration among their cadres, in addition to feelings of fear and disappointment among their supporters. “This will require huge moral support for this cadre to be able to overcome the effects of the losses,” the report said. 

The analysis cited many reasons for Thunderbolts’ defeat, such as the absence of a military and strategic vision behind Operation Dignity. Another reason, according to the Center’s analysis, is the absence of the main pillars of administrating the combat operations. 

“The Thunderbolt brigades found themselves all alone with no supplies and no logistic support from the Operation’s Command, with the exception of air cover, which was not successful in deterring the progress of the Benghazi Revolutionaries Council forces,” read the analysis. 

The Center added that it is most probable that the failure of the Operation Dignity’s command in supporting the Thunderbolt brigades was the main reason behind the withdrawal of many Thunderbolt members from their positions and for abandoning the fight. 

However, Colonel Ahmad Bu Zaid, a military expert, rejected the Center’s analysis. Bu Zaid said that the withdrawal came after a thorough examination of the situation and when the brigades grew certain that they could not respond to Ansar al-Shariah, who fired from inside people’s houses and public places. 

Bu Zaid said that the Thunderbolt leadership has decided not to defend areas where it might suffer losses. This plan is now costing Ansar al-Shariah many losses, he said, referring to the latest clashes between the Thunderbolt brigades, together with the Operation Dignity forces, with the organization in the Bu Atni area. 

Protecting civilians

Operation Dignity started with a heavy and sudden land attack launched on June 16, 2014, on camps affiliated with the Rafallah al-Sahati Battalions, the February 17 Battalions and Ansar al-Shariah. 

After this attack, operations were limited to air strikes on Ansar al-Shariah positions in Benghazi and in Darna, 300 kilometers east of Benghazi or to mutual shelling of artillery and Grad missiles from time to time without any  control of land. 

In addition to claiming responsibility for an ambiguous air strike on August 18, 2014, against forces loyal to Misrata and the Islamist stream, Operation Dignity is fighting a war in Tripoli against forces loyal to Zintan.  The Libyan government said that the attack was launched by two unknown planes.

However, Colonel Bu Zaid believes that the military situation of the Operation Dignity is going well. “The only problem is that it is confronting a group of unorganized and untrained gangs that rely on heavy fire,” he said. “This is stopping the operation’s command from responding, in order to protect civilians.” 

One basket

The Operation Dignity command is also blamed for putting all formations and armed shields in Benghazi in one basket with Ansar al-Shariah instead of initiating a dialogue with them and neutralizing them, without having to fight them in order to isolate Ansar al-Shariah. 

Karima Idrissi, a journalist, told Correspondents “Putting everybody in the same basket is a mistake, if it was deliberately made.  It could be a preplanned military plot to cleanse Libya from all battalions, if the title ‘cleansing’ applies.” 

Idrissi added “I remember that in a previous interview with Haftar he put all organizations and formation in one basket.”  She added that he told me that “he knows the differences between each battalion.” 

Haftar’s gains

Despite everything, Operation Dignity restored the spirit of the security apparatuses in the Libyan east and security has become alerted again after disappearing under the impact of assassinations and bombings in Benghazi.

Moreover, security forces in the eastern cities have been able to arrest, in more than one occasion, persons suspected of being members of al-Qaeda.

However, Saad al-Dinali, a journalist, believes that the only way to revive the spirit of the security apparatuses is by a serious stance to be taken by the parliament and the government. “If the legitimate authorities do not acknowledge the legitimacy of Operation Dignity and support it, things will get worse.” 

“Operation Dignity was able to do what the government hasn’t been able to do.  It was able to gather what remained of the army in an organized way.” 

However, he added that restoring security and stability would require solidarity and no operation or movement could achieve this goal on its own.