According to a government source who spoke to The Libya Update, the head of the Presidential Council, also known as the Supreme Commander, has no knowledge of and has not issued any military orders for the recent air attack on Zawiya.
The source also stated that the General Staff Chief has rejected any further wars after the country entered a ceasefire, warning of the potential collapse of the military situation in the western region.
The Ministry of Defense in the National Unity Government is a political portfolio, and the use and issuance of military orders and war are the sole responsibility of the General Staff, the source explained.
The Chief of Staff, General Mohammed Haddad, confirmed to the UN mission in a call that he did not issue any orders to bomb Zawiya. However, another government source revealed that the Defense Minister of the National Unity Government, Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh, is preparing for a ground attack on Zawiya and its surroundings.
It remains unclear whether this attack has been authorized by the General Staff or the Presidential Council.