"We will deal with any military incursion in Benghazi the way we dealt with [late Libyan strongman] Muammar Gaddafi and his brigades in 2011," the group said in a press statement.
Dozens have been killed since Friday, when forces loyal to Haftar clashed with a faction of former Libyan revolutionaries that now serves as part of Libya's regular army in Benghazi.
The situation escalated on Sunday when militants said to be loyal to Haftar attacked parliament headquarters in Tripoli, forcing lawmakers to flee in fear for their lives.
The incident prompted Mukhtar Fernana, commander of Libya's military police, to declare the suspension of the interim parliament.
"Everyone should know that this is a war against religion and the rule of Sharia, being waged by the infidel Jews and Christians backed by traitor secularists," Ansar al-Sharia said.
"We support our Muslim people's demands for security and stability under Sharia law – not under democracy or secular constitutions – and we ask honorable tribes to stand up against the killing of Muslims in the name of 'fighting terrorism'," the statement added.
- In the three years since Gaddafi's ouster and death, Tripoli has struggled to restore law and order amid the continued refusal of armed militias – which helped overthrow the late leader – to give up their weapons.
Many Benghazi residents accuse army-affiliated militias – including the Rafallah al-Sahati group, which was attacked by Haftar's forces on Friday – of backing armed extremist groups in the city.
By Moataz al-Majbari
[aa.com.tr]
20/5/14
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Tripoli police join rogue Libyan general Haftar...
ReplyDeletePolice in the Libyan capital on Monday threw their support behind a renegade general who is leading a military campaign against Islamist militants in the eastern part of the country.
Tripoli’s police directorate announced they were joining General Khalifa Haftar’s so-called “operation dignity,” a day after several units in the Libyan army took a similar move.
On Monday the elite Saaqa force, a an air force unity in Tobruq and a naval base in Benghazi all pledges support for Haftar’s military operation, which the government has dismissed as a “coup” attempt.....................http://english.alarabiya.net/en/views/news/middle-east/2014/05/20/Tripoli-police-join-rogue-Libyan-general-Haftar.html
20/5/14
U.S. says has not had recent contact with Libya's Haftar...
ReplyDelete(Reuters) - The United States said on Tuesday it has not had recent contact with renegade Libyan general Khalifa Haftar and does not support or condone recent actions on the ground, which include an attack on the Libyan parliament claimed by forces loyal to him .
"We have not had contact with him recently. We do not condone or support the actions on the ground, nor have we assisted with these actions," U.S. State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki told reporters at her daily briefing. "We are continuing to =call on all parties to refrain from violence and to seek resolution through peaceful means."
(Reporting by Arshad Mohammed; Editing by James Dalgleish)
http://deshbidesh.com.au/u-s-says-has-not-had-recent-contact-with-libyas-haftar/
20/5/14
Libyan rebels slam rogue General Haftar as a ‘loser’...
ReplyDeleteA Libyan rebel group on Wednesday slammed rogue General Khalifa Haftar as a “loser,” calling on “true rebels” to defect from his army.
The statement came after Haftar’s anti-Islamist military alliance on Tuesday expanded to include the military intelligence and a police force in the capital Tripoli.
"(We) call on Libya's true rebels who joined the army ranks to immediately and temporarily withdraw from the army and to confront their commanders and demand them to declare the names of terrorists fighting them and accusing them of murder and assassination operations," the group, which goes by the name of Libyan Revolutionaries' Operations Room, said in a statement.................http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2014/05/21/Libya-rebels-slam-rogue-General-Haftar-as-loser-.html
21/5/14