Liberating Libya: General Vows to Crush Terrorists

[Sally]

No doubt the ordinary Lebanese citizens would like to see this as they are probably tired of what is going on in their country.

Liberating Libya: General Vows to Crush Terrorists
by Anna Mahjar-Barducci • June 13, 2014 at 4:00 am

"They are armed; I do not think talks will work with them. These are international criminals from Europe, Asia and Africa. Unfortunately, we are not defending only Libya, but now the entire world. If we expel them from Libya they will just go somewhere else." — Maj. Gen. Khalifa Haftar.

Because Haftar prefers war over dialogue, the international media have been trying to discredit him. They have been trying to present him as a killer, and saying that he represents a disaster for Libya.

Libya has a new man, willing to fight against Islamist extremists. Maj. Gen. Khalifa Haftar, commander-in-chief of a breakaway military force, and denounced by the Libyan central government, has been described as the new "Libyan Al-Sisi."

Just as newly elected Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi declared open war on the Muslim Brotherhood, Haftar vows to crush Islamists in Libya.

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Liberating Libya: General Vows to Crush Terrorists

 

[waltky]

Gen. Haftar goin' after Islamist militants in Benghazi...

Renegade general launches offensive in east Libya, up to 12 killed
Sun Jun 15, 2014 - A renegade Libyan general launched a fresh offensive on Sunday against Islamist militants in the eastern city of Benghazi, sparking some of the worst fighting in weeks, with up to 12 people killed and power supplies disrupted.

Libyan authorities are struggling to restore order across the vast desert nation ahead of a June 25 parliamentary election. The situation remains especially chaotic in Benghazi, Libya's second-largest city and cradle of the NATO-backed uprising that toppled Muammar Gaddafi three years ago. Retired General Khalifa Haftar has declared war against militants in Benghazi and several army units have joined him. The Tripoli government says he has no authority to act but its orders are routinely ignored in much of the country, especially in the east, as rival militias and tribal groups vie for control.

A teacher stands inside a damaged classroom after the building was bombed by a Libyan warplane at a university in Benghazi

Haftar's troops, backed by tanks and rocket launchers, attacked several suspected camps of Islamists in western areas of Benghazi on Sunday, forcing dozens of families to flee. War planes could also be heard circling above the city. Benghazi and much of eastern Libya suffered power outages after rockets hit a power station near the city's airport, the state electricity firm said. At least five soldiers and three civilians were killed, among them two Sudanese, hospital workers told Reuters, adding that at least 18 people had been wounded. Quoting medical sources, state news agency LANA put the number of killed at 12, adding that 16 had been wounded.

Haftar's spokesman, Mohamed El Hejazi, said his forces had detained five leaders from militant groups. There has been speculation among analysts that Haftar has the support of neighbouring Egypt and of Gulf states such as the United Arab Emirates, which like the West are worried about Islamist militants exploiting the chaos in Libya. Haftar told Saudi-owned Arabiya television that his forces were being supported by Libya's neighbours to help secure the country's borders, according to the channel's website. He did not elaborate and he later issued a denial of any such support.

HAFTAR SLAMS QATAR, LAUDS EGYPT

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Eastern Libya got power problems...

Power cut off in much of eastern Libya after Benghazi plant got shelled -official
15 June`14 - Power has gone off in much of eastern Libya after a power plant in Benghazi was shelled in heavy clashes in the port city, a state electricity official said on Sunday.

"The clashes in Benghazi have caused a big lack of power in the east of Libya," said Lutfi Ghuma, spokesman for Libya's state electricity company. "The circuits ... of the Benghazi North Power Station have been damaged because of the shelling, causing power cuts in most of the eastern cities of Libya and some other western areas."

Engineers were trying to fix the damage but they were facing difficulties to reach the damaged plant, he said.

Power cut off in much of eastern Libya after Benghazi plant got shelled -official