Opposition: Libyan government must declare its position on Haftar

The Libyan government must announce its position regarding renegade General Khalifa Haftar’s Operation Dignity, the Leader of the country’s Justice and Development Party said yesterday.

Mohamed Sowan, leader of the party which is the political arm of the Muslim Brotherhood, wrote on Facebook: “The government’s silence [in the face of] what Haftar does, including bombing the city of Benghazi in defiance of state institutions and against the law is shameful.”

On May 16, Libya’s renegade General Khalifa Haftar launched a military operation which he called “Operation Dignity” against rebel brigades, an affiliate of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Ansar Al-Sharia fighters after accusing them of extremism and terrorism and of standing behind the deteriorating security situation and a series of assassinations in Benghazi.

The Libyan government and the General Staff describe Haftar’s activities as “a coup against the legitimacy of the state”.

Sowan demanded the government “declare war on terrorism under any name” and wondered: “If the government is weak, why did it insist on carrying out its responsibilities in front of the Libyan people?”

Libya’s caretaker government led by Abdullah Al-Thani refused to hand over power to Ahmed Meitik who the National Congress elected in May.

The Libyan parliament elected Ahmed Meitik, a businessman, as prime minister in May in a controversial vote during which some lawmakers accused the parliament of inaugurating Meitik by force.

On June 9, Libya’s Supreme Court Constitutional Chamber ruled Meitik’s election as prime minister unconstitutional.