Commander of the Western Military District of the former Government of National Accord (GNA), Osama Juwaili, announced his “categorical rejection” of the request of the 5+5 Joint Military Committee (JMC) addressed to the House of Representatives (HoR), the Presidential Council and the Government of National Unity (GNU) to freeze military agreements and memorandums of understanding with any country as stipulated in the ceasefire agreement signed in Geneva.
Juwaili said in a statement: “the Military Committee has exceeded the limits of its competence by referring to the necessity of appointing the Minister of Defense, pointing out that this is within the competence of the Presidential Council and GNU after HoR’s approval.”
He also criticized JMC because it addressed the UN mission with the need to pressure the members of the 75 Committee Political Dialogue Forum (LPDF), and said it is also not within its competence.
Juwaili expressed his categorical rejection of the Military Committee’s request from the Presidential Council and the government to freeze the agreements and memorandums of understanding concluded by GNA with Turkey, saying: “We remind them that the agreement with Turkey came at the request of the legitimate government to repel the aggression that was targeting civilian state.”
The 5+5 Joint Military Committee had agreed on an “emergency plan” for the withdrawal of mercenaries and foreign forces. It also made an official request to the Government of National Unity and the Presidential Council to “freeze military agreements and memorandums of understanding with any country as stipulated in the ceasefire agreement signed in Geneva”.
Members of the 5+5 Joint Military Committee met on Monday with Turkish officers whom are currently based in Mitiga military base in Tripoli, according to local press report.
Citing an “informed source”, Libyan TV channel 218 said that the committee members arrived to the base in armored cars at 12 P.M on Monday, reportedly to discuss Turkish forces exit from Libya.
A number of Libyan political parties have released a joint statement on Tuesday, in which they expressed their support for the 5+5 Joint Military Committee and its demand to freeze all military deals with foreign countries.