Libyan National Army (LNA) commander Khalifa Haftar presided on Friday over what was described as the largest military parade since the ouster of Moammar al-Gaddafi’s regime in 2011.
The move appeared to be a challenge to the new interim authority and an attempt to refute claims that he was in poor health.
Head of the Presidential Council Mohammed al-Menfi and Government of National Unity (GNU) chief Abdulhamid Dbeibeh ignored the official invitation accorded to them by Haftar to attend the parade apparently because they were both out of the country.
In their positions, Menfi also acts a supreme commander of the army and Dbeibeh as defense minister.
The parade was held at the Benina air base in the eastern city of Benghazi. It marked the seventh anniversary of the launch of Operation Dignity that kicked off from the city in 2014 against terrorist and criminal groups.
The parade also defied the Presidential Council, which had openly criticized the event.
LNA spokesman Ahmed al-Mismari described the parade as the “greatest the country had seen in years.”
He stressed that the purpose of the event was “peace” and it should not be interpreted as a threat to anyone, as some sides are alleging.
The LNA is seeking to convey the message to the Libyans that the army, which was called upon in 2014, is protecting the country, he explained during a press conference on Friday.
Mismari revealed that all LNA units deployed in all regions took part in the parade “to prove to the world that we are prepared to protect the nation.”
The LNA, he added, is still in a constant state of war against terrorism and crime.
Haftar had also made a surprise appearance at a football friendly between local and Arab players to mark the anniversary of Operation Dignity.
His appearance was interpreted by observers as an indirect response to media claims, promoted by his opponents, that he had suddenly fallen ill.
