2 days ago
Haftar's forces halt Gaza support convoy in Sirte
The Convoy of Steadfastness, a popular, peaceful initiative in support of Gaza, was stopped at the entrance to the city of Sirte by forces loyal to Khalifa Haftar.
According to a statement by the Joint Coordination for Gaza, eastern Libyan security officials said the convoy must wait for authorization from Benghazi before being allowed to proceed.
The convoy urged authorities in Benghazi to honor the supportive stance expressed in the Libyan Ministry of Foreign Affairs' statement issued the previous evening, emphasizing that the Libyan people stand united both East and West in their support for Gaza.
The convoy's organizing committee called on all relevant parties to intervene and facilitate the convoy's passage, stressing its humanitarian purpose to challenge the ongoing siege, starvation, and genocide faced by the people of Gaza.
Meanwhile, Al Jazeera, citing local sources, reported that internal disputes among eastern Libya's security and military factions are hindering the convoy's progress.
A Salafist-leaning military faction is reportedly opposing the convoy's passage outright, while another security force is primarily seeking to prevent only the Libyan youth from continuing with the convoy, fearing potential clashes with armed groups loyal to Haftar along the road to Benghazi.
Tunisian activist Jawaher Shanna, speaking to The New Arab, confirmed that participants from Tunisia, Algeria, and Libya remain determined to continue their mission.
'We have already covered 1,000 kilometers to break the siege on our brothers in Gaza,' she said on Thursday. 'Everyone is committed to completing the journey. Our convoy includes human rights defenders, doctors, lawyers, academics, and activists from all backgrounds, and the world knows the humanitarian message we carry', she added.
In response to the halt, the convoy's steering body decided to stop by the roadside and, if necessary, camp near the outskirts of Sirte until the situation is resolved, reassuring the families of the participants that everyone is safe and gathered in a single location a few kilometers before Sirte, saying that the current lack of communication is due to mobile network outages in the area where the convoy is stationed.
