At the time warplanes affiliated to the Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar launce airstrikes in Tripoli, the deputy head of the Libyan Presidential Council, Ahmed Mitig, urged the US to put pressure on allies backing Haftar’s forces.
Libya’s PC deputy head has requested the US to exert pressure on its allies that are meddling in Libya by backing up Khalifa Haftar’s attack on Tripoli and make them stay out of Libya.
“We urge the US administration to use its leverage to end the support provided by Egypt and Saudi Arabia to Haftar,” Mitig told Fox News on Saturday.
Mitig is on a formal visit to Washington D.c., where he met with a number of senators, including Republican Lindsey Graham, and discussed the US policy toward Libya amid the offensive on the capital that was launched by Haftar on April 04 in an attempt to seize power.
“I’m going back to Libya’s capital Tripoli with a message from the US that says the White House is in support and standing by the Government of National Accord as the only legitimate government in Libya.” Mitig told reporters in Washington.
He also told Fox News in the interview that what his government wants from the US is not financial or military support, but political leadership.
Mitig reminded Fox News that the Presidential Council’s commanded coalition of forces “Al-Bunyan Al-Marsous” cooperated with the US to defeat ISIS and that the Libyan Presidential Council’s government cooperated with the US in oil production progress, the political process and the preparations for elections in Libya.
it is worth to mention that General Khalifa Haftar has received a new shipment of weapons from Egypt to help him in his battle to take over Tripoli, Egyptian sourses have said.
Al-Araby Al-Jadeed reported that ammunition and light weapons, food and blankets were all sent to Haftar’s forces in Libya.
Since launching his attack on Tripoli in early April, Haftar has visited twice within a month to meet Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi.
Egypt’s support for Haftar became evident with the emergence of Egyptian weapons at his troops’ disposal, amid reports of the presence of high-ranking Egyptian army officers in the central operations room running the attack on Tripoli.
On Sunday, Anadolu Agency reported based on a local military source, that arplanes with East Libya-based forces launched an airstrike in the city of Zawiya, west of Tripoli,
The attack targeted a blacksmith workshop east of the city, the source said on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media.
Eastern Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar launched a military campaign in April to capture Tripoli from the UN-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA).
After several weeks of fighting on Tripoli’s outskirts, however, Haftar’s campaign has thus far failed to achieve its primary objective. Nevertheless, Haftar’s forces remain deployed in several areas around the capital.
Libya has remained beset by turmoil since 2011, when long-time leader Muammar Gaddafi was ousted and killed in a bloody NATO-backed uprising after four decades in power.
The oil-rich country has since seen the emergence of two rival seats of power: one in eastern Libya, with which Haftar is affiliated, and the Tripoli-based GNA, which enjoys UN recognition.
