Haftarannounces acceptance of Libyan Government Mandate
Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - The head of the Libyan National Army (LNA) based in eastern Libya, Marshal Khalifa Haftar, announced on Monday his acceptance of the "call by Libyan citizens" about their mandate to govern the country and "abandon the political agreement" signed in the Moroccan city of Skhirat in 2015, describing the deal as "a suspect who destroyed the country and drove it to a dangerous slip."
On 27 December 2015, a Libyan political agreement was signed in Morocco under the auspices of the United Nations Support Mission (UNSMIL), based on power sharing and the formation of a government of national accord, a high Council of State, a consultative assembly, as well as the maintenance of the Parliament based in Tobrouk (East).
This agreement establishes a political transition in Libya while waiting to endow the country with democratically elected lasting institutions. But the agreement was not recognized by Haftar and his parliamentary ally who refused to vote confidence in the Government of National Accord (GNA), plunging Libya into a double political and military crisis that has lasted for five years.
In a televised speech broadcast on Monday evening, Haftar expressed "the pride of the General Command (of the LNA) for this historic mission, in these exceptional circumstances, and the stopping of the political agreement to make it part of the past by the decision of the Libyan people as a source of power. "
He reiterated "the acceptance by the General Command of the armed forces of the will of the people despite the weight of the mission and the multiplicity of obligations, as well as the magnitude of the responsibilities before God, our people, our conscience and history."
Haftar has promised that he will "bow to the will of the people and will work to the best of our ability to relieve their suffering, to be of service to the citizens, to protect their rights, the fulfillment of their aspirations and the consecration of the potentials to their profit at the top of our priorities."
He also pledged "to work to create the conditions necessary for the construction of permanent civil status institutions, according to the will and aspirations of the people, while continuing the liberation process to its end."
On April 23, the eve of the Holy Month of Ramadan, Haftar called on Libyans to mandate him to lead the next phase of the country.
In a bad military shape for more than a year after the attack to take control of Tripoli, on April 4, 2019, Haftar recently lost several cities on the west coast of Libya including Sabratha and Sorman while the two remaining strategic points, the air base of Al-Wattia (West) which houses his air force and Tarhouna (120 km South of Tripoli) are surrounded, which shatters his ambition to take the Libyan capital and the West region of the country.
In reaction to Haftar's statement, the Presidential Council on Tuesday castigated a headlong rush reflecting an obsession with the power that drives Haftar, promising to counter any attempt to establish a dictatorship in the country.
The United States previously announced that it would reject Haftar's unilateral declaration to change the country's institutions, urging a cessation of hostilities to promote a resumption of the political process in the country.
-0- PANA BY/IS/KND/AR 28Apr2020
