Libya: Haftar Declares ‘Last Chance’ to Draw Road Map and Hold Elections

Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, the commander in chief of the Libyan army, has announced a final opportunity to map out the road map and hold elections.

The General Commander of the Libyan Army stressed that the unity of Libya is a red line, and that we will not allow any encroachment on it and any harm to it, stressing the need for equitable distribution of oil revenues without marginalization.

Speaking on the 71st anniversary of Libya’s independence, Haftar said: “We are the first to call for free, fair and transparent elections, and the UN mission must shoulder its responsibility to resolve the Libyan crisis”.

The Commander-in-Chief of the Libyan National Army called on the UN mission to Libya to shoulder its responsibility to resolve the Libyan crisis.

He continued: The people cannot remain silent on the abuse that is happening to Libyans in light of the presence of the political bodies that obstructed the elections.

He stressed that there must be tolerance, renunciation of violence, and a change in advertising and religious discourse to unify the ranks of the Libyan nation.

Haftar called on “all cities and regions of the west to engage in a Libyan dialog and reunite the Libyan people with the full responsibility of those who dispersed the Libyans and illegally handed over a citizen”.

Army and People

Haftar pointed to the strong relationship between the army and the Libyan people, saying: “The armed forces have become supported by the will of the people and we remind everyone that we have fought terrorism and defeated it on behalf of the world”.

He expressed his thanks to the Benghazi youth who defeated terrorism and were like babybirds, and also reassured the family of the kidnapped “Abu Ujaila Massoud” who was recently handed over to Washington in the Lockerbie bombing case that the general command will not leave them and asked for a briefing on the circumstances of his detention.

He added that the Libyan people bear full responsibility for those who dispersed the Libyans and illegally handed over a citizen, calling on all parties concerned to respect Libyan sovereignty and not to insult the Libyans first and foremost.

Thousands of Libyans in Benghazi celebrated the 71st anniversary of the country’s independence, which falls on December 24th every year, after decades of struggle against the Italian colonizer.