The military leaders of the Government of National Accord (GNA) have asked to be included in the upcoming Libyan Political Dialogue Forum (LPDF), signaling another division in the government led by Fayez al-Sarraj.
A group of military commanders of the Volcano of Rage operation, launched by GNA forces, said it will form a political team to represent them in the talks.
They indicated that the dialogue should determine the terms for presidential and parliamentary elections, as stipulated by a UN Security Council resolution.
In its statement, the group accused the commander of the joint operations room of GNA forces, and the health and finance ministries, of neglecting the rights of the fighters, who fought the Libyan National Army (LNA) in Tripoli last year.
Meanwhile, commander of the Sirte-al-Jufra Operation Room, Ibrahim Bait al-Mal, confirmed the military leaders asked to be represented in the political dialogue. They rejected the recent Morocco talks between the House of Representatives (HoR) and the High Council of State, for failing to coordinate with them.
Bait al-Mal noted that the commanders held a special meeting to discuss their war needs and LNA’s mobilization of forces.
Earlier, a visit of a GNA delegation to Tarhuna, led by the Justice Minister, stirred anger among residents demanding to know the fate of the 250 missing locals.
The Volcano of Anger operation announced that it had recovered nine dead bodies from two mass graves discovered in a project in the city.
The General Authority for Research and Identification of Missing Persons said it started digging two mass graves, adding that bodies found have so far amounted to 12.
Meanwhile, Stephanie Williams, the Acting Special Representative of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), announced that Libyan invitees to the dialogue in Tunisia early next month, must pledge not to seek a personal position.
Williams stated the participants must provide the written and signed pledge before completing the travel procedures to Tunisia.
The pledge, carried by local media, stipulated that participants must not run, or accept any political and sovereign positions, to avoid any conflict of interest and to help in the peaceful transition of power.
On Tuesday, Williams briefed US Ambassador Richard Norland on the ongoing preparations for the resumption of intra-Libyan 5+5 Joint Military Commission and the Dialogue Forum this month.
UNSMIL issued a statement saying that the both sides urged Libyans, especially in decision-making positions, “to take advantage of this opportunity, live up to the Libyan people's aspiration for national elections to restore Libya’s sovereignty thru representative governance and above all unity, peace and dignity of the Libyans.”
Norland reiterated full US support for the UN-facilitated LPDF process, through which Libyan parties are coming together peacefully to achieve a sovereign Libyan solution to end the conflict, promote transparent management of Libya’s economic resources, and finalize a roadmap to national elections.
He expressed appreciation for Tunisia’s contributions to ensure the success of the upcoming LPDF.
The Ambassador also welcomed the resumption of UN-facilitated military talks in Geneva on October 19, which build on the successful meetings hosted by Egypt in Hurghada. He said the talks represent an important step toward a demilitarized solution in central Libya and ultimate departure of foreign military elements from the country.
