Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar said Thursday that the “Tripoli crisis shouldn’t go longer and liberating the Libyan capital is inevitable.”
Speaking to tribal leaders in Benghazi, he declared that he would liberate Tripoli through a well-structured plan to end what he called militia's rule.
“We will not be silent about the current situation in Tripoli anymore,” he stressed.
Haftar warned that, if elections in Libya are not transparent, his army will abort them.
The parliament called on its members to attend two sessions in its headquarters in Tobruk next Monday and Tuesday in order to enact the bill of a referendum over the constitution. These sessions are the last chance before heading to the presidential elections in case the quorum isn't met to pass the bill.
Meanwhile, the debate continued between France and Italy regarding the Libyan crisis, although Italy's Defence Minister Elisabetta Trenta urged cooperation between the two countries.
In a related matter, European Parliament president Antonio Tajani said Friday that “The future of Libya is being decided now, and the EU has to play a central role in managing this crisis. If we are not able to carry out this task, we will leave the door open for the ambitions and interests of countries.”
“In the absence of a stable Libyan government that can control the country´s borders and territory, managing migration flows from Libya´s coast will become more difficult," Tajani said, adding that the smuggling of weapons and drugs will continue to help terrorists, putting in danger the safety of African and European citizens.
“The country is a powder keg ready to explode.
"The clashes in Tripoli that caused over 200 dead over the last few days have further exacerbated internal conflicts and, despite an agreement on a ceasefire, the situation remains extremely fragile.”
