You have commented 339 times on Rantburg.

Your Name
Your e-mail (optional)
Website (optional)
My Original Nic        Pic-a-Nic        Sorry. Comments have been closed on this article.
Bold Italic Underline Strike Bullet Blockquote Small Big Link Squish Foto Photo
Africa North
Haftar-led Libyan Army claims new advance near Tripoli
2019-12-14
[ALMASDARNEWS] The Military Media Division of the Libyan National Army said in a statement on its official Facebook page, Thursday, that "the military units of the armed forces are controlling most of the main road that goes through the Sa’diyya area and reaches the Toggar area," in addition to "extending their control over the headquarters of the Police Officers College in the area Salahuddin."

Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar
...Self-proclaimed Field Marshal, served in the Libyan army under Muammar Qadaffy, and took part in the coup that brought Qadaffy to power in 1969. He became a prisoner of war in Chad in 1987. While held prisoner, he and his fellow officers formed a group hoping to overthrow Qadaffy, so it's kind of hard to describe him as a Qadaffy holdover. He was released around 1990 in a deal with the United States government and spent nearly two decades in the United States, gaining US citizenship. In 1993, while living in the United States, he was convicted in absentia of crimes against the Jamahiriya and sentenced to death. Haftar held a senior position in the anti-Qadaffy forces in the 2011 Libyan Civil War. In 2014 he was commander of the Libyan Army when the General National Congress (GNC) refused to give up power in accordance with its term of office. Haftar launched a campaign against the GNC and its Islamic fundamentalist allies. His campaign allowed elections to take place to replace the GNC, but then developed into a civil war. Guess you can't win them all...
, Commander-in-Chief of the Libyan National Army, announced on Thursday, the start of a decisive operation to take control of the capital, Tripoli
...a confusing city, one end of which is located in Lebanon and the other end of which is the capital of Libya. Its chief distinction is being mentioned in the Marine Hymn...
, where he gave orders to the Libyan army to advance towards the center of the capital.

Haftar said in a televised speech: "Today we announce the decisive battle and progress towards the heart of the capital to break its chains and break its families and send joy to the souls of its people and return Tripoli as its era has been a beacon and capital of civilization and raise the banner of victory and fold the pages of misery and injustice and oppression and announce with victory and liberation the birth of a new era."

The Libyan National Army Commander called for the units that advanced towards Tripoli to abide by the rules of engagement, and the button men who were fighting the Libyan Army demanded their commitment to their homes and safety.

He continued, "The Libyan army is inevitably victorious in the battle of Tripoli, and we also give the bully boyz a chance of security in exchange for laying down weapons."

Posted by:Fred

00:00