Libyan ground forces commander says 90 percent of Tripoli is under rebel control

Lieutenant General Khalifa Haftar, leader of Libya’s revolutionary ground forces, said that 90 percent of the capital Tripoli is now under their control.

“Only very few pockets where Qaddafi’s forces are stationed remain with the regime,” he told Al Arabiya.

The death of Major General Abdul Fattah Younis, the former interior minister who resigned to join the revolution, made the revolutionaries more determined to defeat Qaddafi’s brigades, he stated.

“The eastern front was already safe and they wanted to head west, and even though we asked them to be patient, they insisted and marched towards Brega,” Haftar said.

He added that they took a very long time because of the landmines and because they did not want to kill Libyan youths who joined Qaddafi’s brigades.

“After the fall of Tripoli and Bab al-Azizia , it all got very easy.”

Haftar stressed that the revolutionaries were never after revenge, and that after their victory they still made sure to take the rest of the cities peacefully.

“In Sirte, we are still engaged in negotiations, while bearing in mind the tribal factor, and the same with Sabha in the southern region. We are acting wisely to avoid unnecessary damage or casualties.”

Haftar said that since the beginning of the conflict around 20,000 Libyans have killed, adding that 400 were killed while storming Qaddafi’s hideout of Bab al-Azizia.

Haftar denied rumors that militants from al-Qaeda are operating in Libya.

“There are, however, some extremist groups, and their presence is not in Libya’s best interest.”

Regarding concerns about the weapons currently used by the revolutionaries and fears about what will happen to the arms after the conflict has ended, Haftar said he was not overly worried.

“All the weapons will be taken from the revolutionaries, then a state army will be formed.”

Haftar explained that those in the ranks of the revolutionaries who would like to join the army will be trained and that all army laws will apply to them. As for those who would choose civil work, they would hand in their weapons and go back to the jobs they held before the revolution.

“Those who will join the army from the revolutionaries will make the best soldiers. They have determination and perseverance that you can’t find in any soldier in the world.”

When asked about the proposal by the National Transitional Council to recruit police officers from other Arab countries, Haftar said he welcomed the idea.


(Translated from Arabic by Sonia Farid)