Military leaders at Libya’s Government of National Accord (GNA) objected to holding any dialogue with the commander of the Libyan National Army (LNA), Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar.
The objection comes at a time war-torn Libya anticipates a comprehensive national reconciliation after a political settlement finds headway.
The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) had announced that neighboring Tunisia would host “the first face-to-face meeting” of the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum (LPDF) “in early November, following preparatory virtual consultations.”
Sources close to Haftar expressed fears of Turkey intervening to break the reconciliation process sponsored by UNSMIL, in light of the continued military cooperation between Ankara and the GNA.
Turkey’s Defense Ministry, in a brief statement on Twitter, reiterated its commitment to training the GNA armed forces according to the training, cooperation and military advisory agreement GNA head Fayez al-Sarraj concluded last year with Ankara.
It also published footage of Libyan and Turkish soldiers at Al-Watiya Air Base, which the GNA took control over a few months ago. The base was previously held by LNA forces.
GNA senior military officials, who held a six-hour undeclared meeting behind closed doors with Sarraj, had delivered their unwavering rejection of holding any political dialogue that could give Haftar and his forces a chance to remain in the political scene.
The meeting included the GNA’s Chief of Staff, Defense Minister, Sirte-Jufra Operations Room commander, and other high-profile military personalities; almost 17 of Volcano of Rage Operation senior leaders.
The military leadership objected to what they described as marginalizing their roles in the various ongoing dialogue tracks, calling for selecting qualified people for the upcoming cabinet, and for appointing some officials to take care of the issue of the injured fighters.
“The meeting went on for six hours and the leaders expressed reservations about the performance and work of the Presidential Council in services and politics,” sources told Libyan news outlets.
In other news, the UN Libya envoy Stephanie Williams on Monday met with Tunisian President Kais Saied to discuss preparations for holding the upcoming LPDF.
"What we want to see in terms of participation is people who are not there for their own political aspirations, but for their country," Williams said after meeting with Saied.
Asked whether Haftar or the head of the GNA, Fayez Sarraj, would be present, she said participants would be able to take part on the condition "that they remove themselves from consideration in high government positions."
This includes membership in the key Presidential Council, the prime minister's job, and ministerial posts, she told Agence France-Presse (AFP).
