In a new war threat, Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, commander-in-chief of the Libyan National Army, spoke of “a decisive battle that must be fought for the sake of the Libyan citizens and their dignity.”
Haftar, who met on Tuesday for the first time with the head of the United Nations mission, Abdoulaye Bathily, pledged that the army would continue its “path of struggle, and confront any aggression that harms the country.”
In a speech delivered following the first-ever military parade of the army forces in the city of Sebha, south of the country, Haftar said that the parties clashing over power have “wasted valuable time, failed to achieve reconciliation and exacerbated the crisis.”
He added that the money spent in the corrupt system over a period of 10 years was enough to bring about development and progress in the country.
“We are ready to protect the people in their uprising, and the people have no choice but to take the lead,” Haftar said.
He concluded by emphasizing that the Army General Command “opens its doors to the national forces at all times, and will not hesitate to do everything in its power to support them.”
Meanwhile, Abdul Hamid al-Dbeibeh, head of the interim “unity” government, inaugurated on Tuesday the 5th edition of Libya Construction exhibition in Tripoli.
In a speech on the occasion, the prime minister called on all parties to refrain from politicizing national reconciliation.
