Khalifa Haftar leads Libyan National Army battling Islamists in Benghazi, families flee
A Libyan National Army led by a “renegade” retired general, General Khalifa Haftar, fought for hours on Friday with Islamic extremists and told civilians on Saturday to evacuate Benghazi.
General Khalifa Haftar speaking to reporters photo/screenshot of video coverage
Dressed in military uniform, Hafter, formerly accused of plotting a coup and labeled “renegade” in the Reuters report, said his troops had temporarily withdrawn from Benghazi for tactical reasons.
“We’ll come back with force,” he told reporters in Abyar, a small town to the east of Benghazi. “We’ve started this battle and will continue it until we have reached our goals,” he said.
The Libyan army has imposed a no-fly zone over the area to challenge the general, who they claim has “been using government aircraft and troops in an unauthorized campaign against Islamist groups.”
“All military planes flying over the city will be shot down by army units… and units of the revolutionaries (ex-rebels),” the statement said.
Haftar claims the government and parliament had no legitimacy as they had failed to achieve security. “The street and the Libyan people are with us,” he said, adding that his troops were spread out in several parts of eastern Libya.
In Tripoli, parliamentary speaker and military commander-in-chief Nuri Abu Sahmain said Hafter was trying to stage a coup.
“(LNA) members who have carried out the clashes in Benghazi are out of the control of the state of Libya and they are trying to attempt a coup for their own interests,” Abu Sahmain said in a televised news conference.
