Jordan arming Libya’s Haftar with armored vehicles and weapons
Jordan and its ally, the UAE, are neck-deep in the bloodshed that is caused by the ongoing fighting in Tripoli.
Jordan has stepped in into the ongoing fighting on the outskirts of Tripoli as evidence has proved it has provided an unknown number of its indigenous KADDB Al-Mared 8×8 armoured vehicle to Khalifa Haftar’s forces.
The delivery of the armored vehicles is yet another boost for Haftar’s forces from a foreign country backing up his offensive against Tripoli, where about 3 million people reside.
Before Jordan, its ally and Haftar’s main supporter; the United Arab Emirates, provided Haftar’s forces with Nimr armored vehicles, many of which have been either destroyed or seized by the Libyan Army forces under the command of the Government of National Accord (GNA).
The UAE, not to mention the funding provided by Saudi Arabia and the support in all forms of France, is with Jordan violating the UN arms embargo by delivering military equipment, vehicles and weapons to an illegitimate body fighting the UN-backed GNA and bombing civilians in Tripoli, according to several Libyan officials.
What’s KADDB?
KADDB Al-Mared 8×8 armored vehicle is based on the TATRA’s 8×8 truck chassis, attached to a fully protected all-welded steel hull. It can withstand ballistic fire against STANAG 4569 Level 3, small arms up-to small arms 7.62×51mm caliber AP (Armor-Piercing) at 30 meters with 930 m/s.
The KADDB al-Mared has a crew of two and can carry eight fully equipped infantrymen at the rear of the hull.
It has firing ports on all sides for returning fire. There is also power-operated ramp at the rear of the hull which is used by the infantrymen to leave and enter in the vehicle.
Proxy War in Tripoli?
Haftar launched his offensive on Tripoli backed by UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, France, and Jordan on April 04 in an attempt to seize power by military force.
About 50 days on, the World Health Organization estimates that over 510 people have been killed and over 2467 others injured, in addition to statistics by the UN saying that over 75.000 people have been displaced from their houses.
This war, the UN envoy Ghassan Salame said at the Security Council Tuesday, will plunge Libya into more bloodshed and will make the country reside on the verge of an all-out civil war if not stopped.
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