Libya’s Presidency Council threatens to dismiss Haftar

The Presidency Council of Libya’s Government of National Accord threatened to dismiss military chief Khalifa Haftar and appoint another commander.

In a statement issued yesterday, the council called on military factions to wait till it appoints a joint leadership for operations and to unify efforts under the council’s leadership.

The unity government seeks to sack Haftar, replacing him with Mahdi Al-Barghathi.

On Wednesday, 16 of Haftar’s troops were killed and injured in clashes with the Shura Council of Benghazi Revolutionaries, an Islamist military coalition in the eastern Libyan city.

The clashes occurred in the Qawarsha area, located to the west of Benghazi.

In the statement, the unity government addressed the military forces that had declared their readiness to free Sirte from Daesh. The unity government called on those forces to wait for instructions by the Presidency Council “in its capacity as the supreme commander of the army,” noting that the council will appoint a joint command for liberating Sirte.

The council added that any faction that does not abide by the instructions in this statement will have violated military laws, breached orders and hindered the efforts made to unite ranks against terror.