The Minister of Defence of the Government National Accord (GNA), Salah Al-Namroush, said that the Speaker of the Libyan Parliament, Ageela Saleh, does not have any power on the ground.
He said that the ultimate authority is in the hands of the Libyan National Army (LNA), led by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar. Al-Namroush added that Haftar’s commitment to the ceasefire cannot be trusted. He accused Haftar of trying to break the ceasefire and warned that “we [the GNA] are ready to repel any aggression.”
The Minister pointed out that the GNA continues to support the political process and wants a civil and democratic state. Yet, he also stressed that the GNA “will not abandon Sirte, Al-Jufra, or any inch of Libya” and concluded by saying that the GNA is proceeding to fully restore control over all of Libya. Al-Namroush also emphasized that “the Sirte and Al-Jufra Operations Rooms are an integral part of the Libyan Ministry of Defence.”
It is important to note that the GNA and Libyan Parliament declared a ceasefire last month. The LNA also agreed to the truce.