Arab press: Egypt seeks to dissolve to Turkey's allies in Libya, pro-Iranian groups escalate in Iraq

On Monday, Arab newspapers discussed the Libyan situation, in addition to the escalation in Iraq, as well as the Tunisian situation.

"Cairo opens up to western Libya in an attempt to dissolve Ankara's allies"

The beginning is with the Libyan issue, and in this context Al-Arab newspaper said: “Egypt has tended towards more openness towards Accord Government headed by Fayez al-Sarraj, in a move that carries a message of support for the movement rejecting the military escalation that Turkey is waving, led by Minister of Interior Fathi Bashagha, who is close to the Justice and Construction Party. My Brotherhood, who visited Cairo last November.

It explained, "A division appeared in western Libya after the cessation of fighting and the withdrawal of the army forces to Sirte, between supporters of a political settlement ending Turkey's military role and those calling for continued fighting and seizing Sirte and the oil ports.

Bashagha's ambition to head the new government has strained his relationship with his former ally, Turkey, which press reports indicated was annoyed by the two visits he made to Egypt and France.

The influence of Bashagha, who is described as the strong man in western Libya, is waning in exchange for the brightness of the star of Defense Minister appointed months ago, Salah al-Din al-Nimroush, who is known for his pro-Turkey stances.

Egyptian political sources instructed the goal of the visit to strengthen relations with influential forces in Tripoli, and to control the compass with Fayez al-Sarraj, who confirmed that he will continue in his position until further notice, stressing that the blockage of the horizon of political dialogue has imposed him as a man of necessity, which seems useful at this stage.

The sources said, in a statement to Al-Arab, that “the Egyptian move away from Tripoli was one of the reasons that facilitated Turkey’s entry into the Libyan space and its expansion, as the Accord Government found its back exposed in a situation of extreme confusion, and when Ankara reached out to it militarily and politically, it grabbed it.”

The sources pointed out that Fayez al-Sarraj paid a secret visit to Cairo, in mid-November, in which he met with the head of the General Intelligence Service, Major General Abbas Kamel, and Fathi Bashagha visited Cairo at close time, in which he met with senior officials of the security committee entrusted with following up the Libyan file.

"Factions loyal to Iran escalate in Iraq and threaten Saleh and al-Kazemi"

Regarding the tension in Iraq, Al-Sharq al-Awsat newspaper said: "With the approaching memory of the assassination of the Iranian general Qassem Soleimani and the former deputy head of the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, in an American air strike near Baghdad airport on the third of last January, the loyal Iraqi factions continue Tehran has the language of threat and intimidation.

A faction calling itself "Abu Al-Fadl al-Abbas Brigades" issued yesterday a threat against the President of the Republic, Barham Salih, and the ministers, Mustafa al-Kazemi, in the event that militia members accused of firing rockets are not released, and this came after the accusation of the military spokesman for the "Hezbollah Brigades" Abu Ali al-Askari, the prime minister with "treachery," adding: "We call on Kazemi of treachery not to test the patience of the resistance after today."

In addition, a group calling itself the "Qassem al-Jabarin Faction" announced yesterday that it had carried out the second attack within a few days against a convoy of the International Coalition Forces south of Baghdad, and pledged to continue the attacks against the "American occupier."

Observers believe that the leaders of factions, including "Hezbollah Brigades" and "Asaib Ahl al-Haq", are distancing themselves from the missile attacks on the Americans in an effort to avoid retaliatory strikes, but at the same time they are hiding behind other addresses of factions that continue to target Americans.

A source familiar with the affairs of the loyal factions told Asharq al-Awsat: “Whoever follows the mechanism and method of work of these factions knows that it is impossible for them to stop their actions, whether against US interests or even against the government and Iraqi state institutions.”

"Efforts to withdraw confidence from Ghannouchi"

In Tunisia, Al-Bayan newspaper said: “The intention to withdraw confidence from Rached Ghannouchi and dismiss him from the presidency of Parliament has come to the fore in the forefront of events in Tunisia, in light of the continuation of the ladder of confidence among Tunisians.” The representative of the Democratic Bloc in Parliament, Nabil Hajji, confirmed that his bloc will do everything What it can do to remove Ghannouchi from the presidency of Parliament, denouncing Ghannouchi's procrastination and laxity in holding representatives who used violence against their colleagues.

In his turn, the leader of the People's Movement and a member of parliament, Khaled al-Kuraishi, confirmed that the sit-in is continuing, due to Ghannouchi's intransigence and whitewashing of terrorism, indicating that major steps will be announced, headed by a project to withdraw confidence from Ghannouchi.

The head of the Free Constitutional Party, Abeer Moussa, revealed the existence of a plan to withdraw confidence from Ghannouchi and then nominate a deputy from the Ennahda movement to head the council, indicating that she will not sign the withdrawal of confidence from Ghannouchi before the owners of the list commit in writing not to nominate any deputy from Ennahda to head the parliament.

Observers believe that there is convergence between most parliamentary blocs towards isolating Ghannouchi by proposing a draft to withdraw confidence from him in a plenary session, pointing out that Ghannouchi no longer enjoys the confidence of the majority.

Observers have suggested that the modernist and civil parties agree to drop Ghannouchi from the presidency of Parliament, in light of political changes, especially the deposit of Nabil Karoui, leader of the Heart of Tunisia party, which is allied with the Brotherhood, in the Assembly of the Representatives of the People, imprisonment on suspicion of corruption and money laundering.

T/S

ANHA