Libyan National Army (LNA) commander Khalifa Haftar said Wednesday he would step down from his military role, naming General Abdelrazak al-Nadhuri as an interim replacement until December 24, the date of the legislative and presidential vote.
In a statement, Haftar said al-Nadhuri “will occupy the functions of General Commander for a period of three months.”
According to observers, this step could lead to his candidacy in elections later this year.
Parliamentary speaker Aguila Saleh is expected to take a similar step. However, his media advisor, Fathi al-Mirimi, told Sputnik news agency on Tuesday that “if Saleh decides to run for the elections, he will officially announce it.”
However, he affirmed that Saleh did not make any step in this regard so far.
“Saleh is performing his duties and hasn’t submitted a leave or resignation to run for the elections,” Mirimi said.
