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Asharq Al-Awsat
Asharq Al-Awsat
World
Cairo, Amman – Khaled Mahmoud and Asharq Al-Awsat

Protesters Storm Libyan GNA Headquarters as Sarraj Visits Jordan

Head of the Libyan Government of National Accord Fayez al-Sarraj. (AP)

Libyan protesters stormed on Sunday the Tripoli headquarters of Fayez al-Sarraj’s Government of National Accord.

The incident coincided with Sarraj’s visit to the Jordanian capital Amman where he held talks with King Abdullah II.

The protesters were demanding their unpaid salaries and medical treatment, said security sources and local media.

The majority of the protesters were wounded in clashes that had taken place in Tripoli in August. Others were injured during the 2014 Libya Dawn operation that was launched by a coalition of militants in order to capture the capital.

The GNA did not release a statement on the storming incident, but Sarraj’s deputies did kick off negotiations with the protesters.

The pro-Muslim Brotherhood al-Naba television said that the demonstrators refused to evacuate the premises until they receive their salaries, which have not been paid for four years. They also demanded the formation of an independent committee that would address the needs of the wounded.

Sarraj’s deputies pledged to study their demands and respond to them in a week.

In Amman, King Abdullah stressed to Sarraj Jordan’s support for efforts to reach a political solution in Libya.

The Kingdom’s official news agency said that the two officials agreed to take advantage of the promising opportunities in order to develop cooperation between their countries.

Libyan sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that the bilateral talks between the monarch and Sarraj lasted less than 20 minutes. An expanded meeting was later held with their respective delegations.

In a statement, Sarraj said that his visit helped address pending issues between Amman and Tripoli.

Libyan National Army (LNA) commander Khalifa Haftar had paid a visit to Amman last week, but he did not meet with Sarraj.

A source close to Haftar told Asharq Al-Awsat that he had not visited the Kingdom with the intention of meeting him.

Some officials, however, remarked that the fact that both Libyan leaders were in Jordan at the same time meant that efforts had probably been exerted to hold a meeting between them.

Haftar had reportedly rejected such an initiative, which was made by Libyan Ambassador to Jordan Mohammed al-Bargathi.

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