A military leader based in western Libya has warned that the country is currently “being dragged into war” and vouched to personally communicate with parties across Libya to prevent the eruption of another conflict.
In a recorded speech on Tuesday night, Lieutenant-General Muhammad al-Haddad also urged Libyans to make “concessions”, “compensation” and “to forgive and build our country” after decades of war.
“I am ready to roam the country, east, west and south, to appeal to the people as I empathize with them,” said al-Haddad who is also a member of the 5+5 Joint Military Committee, which includes members of the Libyan National Army (LNA).
“What is currently being woven is another conflict to drag the country into a war, but war will not happen,” he said. “We will not allow it this time.”
“We have been through period of stability since the government assumed office,” he said in reference to the government of outgoing prime minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh. “We have to maintain this until we safely reach real change with the right elections.”
The military leader noted that his forces are keeping their distance from “political quarrels and the status quo”.