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Libya: Demands to Fight Haftar-led Forces | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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Marshal Khalifa Haftar speaks during a news conference at a sports club in Abyar, east of Benghazi May 21, 2014. REUTERS/Esam Omran Al-Fetori


Cairo- Former Libyan Grand Mufti Al Sadiq Abd-Alrahman Ali Al Ghariani said on Thursday that “Allah” has ordered the fight against Libyan marshal and the principal commander of one side in the ongoing Libyan Civil War Army Chief Khalifa Haftar.

Ghariani gained popularity after the Libyan Civil War due to his controversial political edicts and support ( direct or Indirect ) for Ansar al-Sharia, Shura Council of Benghazi Revolutionaries and the Shura Council of Mujahideen in Derna as some of the many stated extreme groups in Libya.

The Ghariani-led rally comes as General Haftar gathers Libyan National Army (LNA) forces in preparation for a fierce fight against armed militias that managed taking hold of the national oil crescent after storming into two key ports.

A previous attempt by the Benghazi Defense Brigades (BDB) to capture the ports had failed. But the attack last Friday caught the eastern-based Libyan National Army (LNA) by surprise.

Ghariani accused General Haftar of staging a coup against the national legitimate authority and enlisting the help of apostates to restore authoritarianism and military rule to Libya.

Speaking on night-time television on Thursday, Ghariani accused Haftar of seizing oil wells with the help of mercenaries. He said that Haftar plans on exploiting national oil wealth as a trump card to long-term treaties and billions of dollars’ worth deals with Russia in exchange for arms and modern aircraft.

On the other hand, LNA Spokesman Ahmed al-Mesmari, arrived in Cairo on Thursday in order to organize a conference addressing the pivotal role played by the Libyan Arab armed forces protecting regional and international security.

LNA forces had taken control of key ports such as Es Sider and Ras Lanufin since September 2016– after which the long-time besiegement the National Oil Corporation suffered was brought to an end, and aided in doubling national production rates.