The Commander-in-Chief of the Libyan National Army (LNA), Field Marshal Khalifa Hafter visited the city of Tobruk, during which he met with mayors of municipalities, representatives of civil society organizations, and tribes of the Al-Batnan region in eastern Libya.
A reception was held at the stadium of Saeed Khairallah. The officials praised the efforts of the Libyan army in “fighting terrorism, securing the borders, and its commitment to the ceasefire.”
The Head of the Steering Council of the Tobruk municipality, Faraj Bu Al-Khattabiya congratulated the Libyan army on the anniversary of its founding.
For his part, Hafter said the “LNA appreciates the role of the people of Tobruk for their sacrifices, and their role in achieving victory over terrorism. If we had not won over terrorism, the situation in Libya would have been worse. The army will not allow the endless struggles of ‘power worshipers’ in Libya.”
In June, Hafter affirmed that “any comprehensive settlement agreement is doomed to fail, unless it enjoys the support of the people.”
In his speech during the celebration of the Al-Karama Military Operation, he added that “any path to address the crises in Libya will not succeed unless it stems from the will of the people.” He called on the Libyan people to own the political initiative, and draw a roadmap without anyone’s guardianship.
The Commander stressed that “all initiatives and agreements that ignored the people’s approval have resulted in a drain on wealth, the spread of corruption, and threats to the safety of the nation.”
He noted that parts of western Libya have become “a hotbed for the occupier and mercenaries.”
Libya fell into chaos after the collapse of the regime of long-time leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.