Why Libya's Sirte is Egypt's Red Line? Analysts Answer

Libya’s coastal city of Sirte, a strategic gateway to major oil facilities, has just been defined by Egypt's President Abdel Fattah El Sisi as a red line which might get Egypt to execute military operations to protect its national security.

This morning, President Sisi has warned of direct intervension in Libya if the militant operations between the warring partied have reached to Sirte, in reference to the Turkish-backed militias who are fighting to control the coastal city, the stronghold of the Libyan National Army (LNA).

The Egyptian President said in a speech which was aired on state TV: "We stand today in a decisive phase," adding: "On our borders, direct threats are established that require us to join hands and collaborate, not between us, but with our brothers from the Libyan people and friendly countries to protect and defend our countries and the resources of our peoples from the aggression waged by terrorist and mercenary armed militias with the full support of external forces."

He noted that any direct interference from the Egyptian state has now acquired international legitimacy, "either within the framework of the United Nations Charter in terms of the right to self-defense or based on the sole legitimate authority elected by the Libyan people, the House of Representatives."

In specific, President Sisi warned that Sirte and Al-Jafra constitute a "red line," and he said, "If some people think that they can cross the Sirte line or Al-Jafra, this is to us a red line."

The city of Sirte, which is the birthplace of the late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, is located 300 km from the European coast and in the middle of the coastal road between Tripoli and Benghazi, where the Libyan government is parallel to the east.

In 2015, it fell to ISIS, which took advantage of the chaos in Libya after Gaddafi's fall to expand in several areas of the country. Al-Wefaq government forces retook them in 2016, before General Khalifa Haftar took control of them last January.

So what makes the city a strategic point?

The city is about a thousand kilometers from the Egyptian borders, and it is halfway between Tripoli and Benghazi on the Libyan coast, it is located about 450 kilometers from the capital Tripoli and 600 kilometers from Benghazi.

And there are important military bases such as Al-Qardabiya air base, which is 16 kilometers south of Sirte, and not far from it is the Al-Jufra air base, which is one of the largest Libyan military bases.

The al-Qardabiya air base near Sirte is another facility that Turkey is said to be eyeing in the event of Sirte’s fall.

Sirte is the main operations room for the Libyan army forces, and a link room between the regions of eastern and western Libya. The city's airport and port is one of the most important main ports in Libya.

Al-Jufra Air Force Base is located in the north of Sirte, and is separated from it only by a300-km open road, and it is one of the largest Libyan air bases, and it is characterized by its strong infrastructure that has been modernized, in order to accommodate the latest weapons. As for the Al-Jufra area, it is also important because it is located in the center of the country, which is about 650 km southeast of Tripoli.

According to Al-Monitor report, the city is the western gateway of the country’s “oil crescent” region and the route that one has to control to dominate the ports of Sidra, Ras Lanuf, Marsa al-Brega and Zuwetina, where 11 oil pipelines and three gas conduits reach the Mediterranean coast. By capturing Sirte, one could easily seize a 350-kilometer (217-mile) coastal stretch all the way to Benghazi, abounding in pipelines, refineries, terminals and storage facilities.

All in all, controlling the “oil crescent” in a way that ensures the flow of oil could have a multiplier effect in swaying the conflict and Sirte is seen as the key to seizing the region.

Turkey is seeking a lasting military presence in Libya, eyeing al-Watiya and a naval base in Misrata.

On June 14, France lashed out at Turkey for growing “even more aggressive” in Libya, accusing it of sending half a dozen ships to the country and violating the UN arms embargo, and requested a NATO meeting on the issue. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said Turkey’s attitude was “a danger to ourselves, an unacceptable strategic risk, because it’s 200 kilometers [124 miles] from the Italian coast.”

France followed up with accusations of an “extremely aggressive” intervention by Turkish frigates against a French navy vessel checking a freighter suspected of taking arms to Libya. On June 18, NATO said it would investigate the incident.

France is reportedly seeking direct US support to restrain Turkey, while Turkey is calling for cooperation with the United States in Libya.

From the above, one can deduce that the side who controls Sirte would be controlling a huge amount of resources, enough to accelerate his grip on the country as well as designing its future, and that's why Egypt would never allow any hostile party to get in this position.