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Haftar Threatens to Resort to Army to End Libya’s Political Crisis | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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Libyan Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar. (Reuters)


Cairo – Commander of the Libyan National Army Field Marshal Khalifa Hafter granted various political factions a deadline of six months to reach a solution to the country’s crisis that has been raging since the overthrow of Moammar al-Gadhafi in 2011.

He threatened to resort to the army to end the deadlock if the factions do not reach a settlement by the end of the deadline, which also coincides with the end of the term of the national agreement government of Prime Minister Fayez al-Serraj.

Official spokesman for the national army Ahmed al-Mismary said that the military command could no longer tolerate more tragedies that are plaguing the Libyan people.

He stressed during a press conference in Benghazi that those concerned should reach a clear agenda to save the nation and civilians within six months “otherwise the army will have its say.”

Haftar had voiced his concern over the Libyan people during a meeting with tribal leaders.

Mismary quoted Haftar as saying that the situation has become “very dangerous and the army will not allow more insults to be hurled at the people.”

Those concerned have until January 1, 2018 to resolve the situation, he stressed.

This six-month period will be the “final warning,” continued al-Mismary.
He did not elaborate however on how the National Libyan Army would intervene to resolve the six-year crisis.

In addition, Mismary announced that Haftar welcomed the appointment of Ghassan Salameh as the new UN envoy to Libya, replacing Martin Kobler, whose term ended.

He hoped that Salameh would succeed in his mission during the six-month deadline.

“Whoever wants to resolve the problem should distinguish between the people and terrorism. The problem does not lie with the Libyans, their tribes or cities, but with terrorism, such as the Muslim Brotherhood, al-Qaeda and ISIS,” he said.