The Director of the Moral Guidance Department of the Libyan National Army (LNA), Brigadier General Khalid al-Mahjoub, stressed that the unification of the military institution does not mean an acceptance of, or leniency towards the integration of terrorist or criminal elements into it.
Al-Mahjoub said that the military parade, held recently in Benghazi, confirms that the armed forces will not stop building their capabilities to be able to perform their tasks in preserving Libya’s sovereignty, security and stability.
In press statements to Asharq Al-Awsat, al-Mahjoub spoke about the army’s combat capabilities, and that the number of its members is now close to 100,000 fighters.
He also touched upon rumors spread by the enemies of the army, especially the Muslim Brotherhood, about the existence of tension in Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar’s relationship with the United States. Other rumors include those about Haftar being exposed to health problems.
Al-Mahjoub added that, “the recent period has been these rumors of concern to the Brotherhood, and we say to them and everyone: Despite the importance of Field Marshal Haftar’s role and his being a moral and spiritual leader before he was a military leader, the army is a regular institution.”
He continued that, “these rumors were the main concern of the Muslim Brotherhood during the recent period. We tell them and everyone that despite the importance of Haftar’s role and his being a moral and spiritual leader before he was a military leader, the army is a regular institution.”
Al-Mahjoub explained that the ban on arming is at the forefront of challenges facing the army at the moment. He added that is followed by confronting terrorism. The third challenge relates to implementing the outcomes of the 5+5 Joint Military Committee (JMC), especially in eliminating armed groups outside the framework of the law.
On the LNA’s relationship with the Government of National Unity (GNU), Al-Mahjoub said that, “the government’s mission is to unify institutions and prepare for elections, and of course it has capabilities and cannot do everything, and we give it enough space to operate freely.”