Libya’s Haftar is new chief of forces loyal to recognized gov’t
Warplanes attack last open airport in rival-controlled Tripoli
TRIPOLI/CAIRO (Reuters) – Warplanes from Libya’s internationally recognized government on Monday attacked the last functioning airport in Tripoli, controlled by a rival administration, officials said. Extending a series of tit-fortat strikes, the attack coincided with the swearing-in of Khalifa Haftar, one of the most divisive figures in post-revolutionary Libya, as army commander for the recognized government. Rival governments and parliaments are battling for control of the large North African country and its oil resources four years after rebels ousted veteran autocrat Muammar Gaddafi. The recognized Prime Minister Abdullah al-Thinni and the elected parliament have been confined to a rump state in the remote east since an armed faction seized Tripoli in the west last summer, reinstating the previous assembly and setting up a rival administration. “Warplanes conducted air strikes this morning on Mitiga airport but there was no damage,” airport spokesman Abdulsalam Buamoud said. “Flights were suspended for only an hour... but now the airport is working normally.” Mohamed al-Hejazi, spokesman for forces loyal to Thinni, said they had attacked the airport “because it’s outside state legitimacy... Weapons and foreign fighters bound for western Libya pass through the airport.” Both sides are aligned with rival armed factions which have been fighting over territory and oil facilities while Islamist militants have exploited the chaos to carve out fiefdoms. To add firepower to small army forces loyal to Thinni, the eastern government and parliament formed an alliance with Haftar, who began a self-declared war against Islamist militants in Benghazi, Libya’s second biggest city, last year. Haftar gained support from some Libyans tired of disorder, but also drew criticism over air strikes and attacks on civilian airports and sea ports. He was sworn in on Monday in Tobruk, seat of the House of Representatives, said Tarek Saqer al-Joroushi, deputy head of parliament’s defense committee. Hejazi confirmed this. The Tripoli-based rival government has denounced Haftar as “war criminal” whose appointment would complicate UN mediation.