Libya’s eastern strongman insists he wants to secure elections and liberate Tripoli

Sources close to the commander of the self-styled army in eastern Libya, Khalifa Haftar, told Egypt-based Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper on Sunday that the forces in east Libya are ready to secure any electoral process in regions under Haftar’s control.

The so called army stressed, the newspaper said, that it was concerned with protecting the democratic process and peaceful transition of power in Libya.

Asharq Al-Awsat also learned that the Haftar’s forces were making logistic preparations to “liberate” the capital Tripoli.

“The preparations were almost complete as Haftar inaugurated ten new security and military brigades in the western region. These developments reveal that he was secretly preparing a military offensive against Tripoli in spite of United Nations and western efforts to reach a political settlement in the country.” The newspaper said.

Sources close to Haftar also told Asharq Al-Awsat that the ten brigades were highly trained and six of them are deployed in the eastern Benghazi region.
“No order has yet been given for them to act,” they said