Libya’s DM threatens to end ceasefire due to Haftar's violations

The Libyan Ministry of Defence yesterday threatened to withdraw from the ceasefire agreement signed with renegade General Khalifa Haftar due to his forces’ “recklessness”.

In a statement published on the Facebook page of the Libyan Army’s ‘Operation Volcano of Anger’, quoted Defence Minister Salah Al-Din Al-Namroush saying: “If the United Nations and the countries that support peace and dialogue in Libya do not manage the recklessness of war criminal Haftar, then we will withdraw from the (5+5) Joint Military Commission agreement.”

“We will consider the ceasefire agreement null and void if Haftar launches any military action.”

The statement continued: “We are surprised by the silence of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya and the international community, which calls for and supports peace in Libya, regarding the movements of Haftar’s militia that threaten the ceasefire agreement in the south.”

The statement explained: “What Haftar’s forces did [on Sunday] was not the first operation in Ubari, as they stormed a week ago the city’s neighbourhoods and demolished homes over the locals’ heads, in addition to other criminal acts that are added to war criminal Haftar’s record and his violations in Tripoli and Tarhuna.”

On 23 October, the United Nations announced that the two parties to the conflict in Libya had reached a ceasefire agreement, following talks held by the 5+5 Joint Military Committee (JMC) in Geneva.

READ: Libya: Haftar’s militia attacks army camp near Sharara oil field

On Sunday evening, the Libyan Supreme Council of State condemned Haftar’s breach of the ceasefire agreement after his forces attacked an army camp in the city of Ubari which is home to the Sharara oil field.

The statement said: “The violation of the ceasefire is part of external agendas, which aims to thwart any peaceful path out of the Libyan crisis through dialogue, and confirms the lack of seriousness on Haftar’s part in abiding by any agreement as usual.”

For years, the oil-rich country has been suffering an armed conflict, as Haftar’s militia, with the support of Arab and Western countries, contests the UN-recognised Libyan government’s legitimacy and authority, resulting in civilian deaths and injuries, along with massive material damage.

Bloody Haftar – Cartoon [Sabaaneh/MiddleEastMonitor]