Libya: Haftar seeks to shutdown influence of GNU’s Dbeibah
Warlord Khalifa Haftar is attempting to diminish the influence of the Government of National Unity’s (GNU) Prime Minister Abduhamid Al-Dbeibah in southwestern Libya, reports the Arab Weekly and agencies on November 6th.
The turmoil-stricken country has seen the establishment of two rival factions in the east and west since the downfall of infamous dictator Muammar Gaddafi back in 2011.
Haftar, who is the commander of the Libyan National Army (LNA), met with Sheikh Zidan al-Zadma of the Awlad Suleiman on November 5 in what was a clear reaction to Dbeibah attempting to play a key role in the southwest.
The Awlad Suleiman tribe are an armed group based in Libya’s south.
Prior to Haftar’s meeting, the Prime Minister of the UN-recognised government met with Musa Al-Koni, a member of the Presidential Council, and the head of the General Staff of the Libyan Army Muhammad Al-Haddad.
READ: Libya: sporadic fighting gives Haftar town to Tripoli regime
Regarding the country’s south, which is out of the hands of the GNU, Dbeibah noted that, “the south will be a priority for our work, especially in the areas of health, infrastructure and oil facilities.”
Last month, a row over elections in the Maghreb nation broke out once more.
For elections to take place, the forming of a new government which would act as referee for said elections in order for the poll to be free and fair would have to occur.
The concerned Abdoulaye Bathily, a UN envoy to Libya, noted that Libya had made progress with regards to the democratic process although he acknowledged that a lot of work still had to be done.
Arab Weekly/AFP
