Libya: Rebels clash, Gaddafi-era army officers return

[jakeXT]

Libyan armed factions accused each other on Monday of launching new attacks near the country’s largest oil port, Es Sider, after a partial ceasefire was announced by the end of last week in order to pursue a U.N. sponsored dialogue in Geneva. The government in Tobruk has integrated General Haftar into the army after a long collaboration with his troops. The European Union (E.U) is considering taking steps that will end the war in the country and several options are being considered.

Spokesman Ahmed Hadiya said there were no clashes but blamed the Tobruk affiliated militias for killing one of their men with a tank grenade. Ali al-Hassi, a spokesman for an oil-protection force in Es Sider that is linked to Tobruk, claimed that they were attacked and fought back with airplanes. Fighting the country has severely affected its oil production capacity which has fallen by 80% before the 2011 uprising.

Meanwhile, Reuters has claimed that it has obtained a copy of an official decree recalling Haftar and 108 other former Gaddafi-era army officers for active army duty. Some of them have been given senior posts. Observers said it showcases the role and influence military figures have in the internationally recognized government. Haftar has been fighting against the Islamists in Benghazi since May last year.

The E.U is worried about the ongoing fighting in the North African country. It is holding discussions whether to impose an embargo on Libya in order to force the warring parties to negotiate for peace or take up a drastic measure which entails freezing the central bank’s overseas assets.

http://northafricapost.com/6822-libya-rebels-clash-gaddafi-era-army-officers-return.html

A Benghazi native, Haftar began his military career under Libya’s former monarchy. In 1969, he was one of a small group of officers, led by Gaddafi, that overthrew King Idris and installed Gaddafi in power, where he would remain for the next 42 years.

Haftar’s turnabout from a loyal Gaddafi ally to opposition leader came almost two decades later, seemingly as a consequence of Libya’s lengthy and disastrous 1978-1987 war with Chad.

In the final year of the war, Haftar and a unit of Libyan troops he was commanding were captured by Chadian forces. Gaddafi disavowed Haftar and claimed the general was not part of the Libyan army, effectively consigning him and his men to prison in Chad.

CIA involvement?

What happened next remains unclear. Some sources say he spent the next few years in incarceration, others that he told the Chadian government of his decision to turn against Gaddafi and secured training facilities for him and his men near the country’s capital, N'Djamena , as part of the Libyan National Army (LNA) – the military wing of the opposition Libyan National Salvation Front.

http://www.france24.com/en/20140519-coup-leader-cia-asset-libya-general-Khalifa-haftar/

[bemildred]

1. That's it, another embargo.