Salem Nuer, the Mayor of Bani Walid, confirmed that Local Council supported the Government of National Accord (GNA) and was against the efforts made by the Libyan National Army (LNA) to drag the city into the ongoing conflict.
In a telephone interview, Nuer stated that no one other than the Local Council represented or was able to speak on behalf of Bani Walid, dismissing accounts from local citizens who took a stance contrary to the Council’s.
The Mayor also condemned pro-LNA media outlets that have ignored the LNA’s shelling of civilian populated areas in Tripoli and falsified claims of the existence of Syrian fighters.
He explained that the city’s Local Council announced its neutrality since the launch of the conflict in April last year, rejecting calls for Bani Walid to join the war.