Libya’s eastbased army calls for free, fair elections

EGYPT The eastbased Libyan National Army (LNA) seeks free and fair elections that reflect the will of the Libyan people, spokesman for the east-based army Ahmad alMesmari said yesterday. Speaking to reporters during a press conference in Cairo, al-Mesmari noted the Libyan crisis is mainly a security rather than political issue.

The eastbased army has been leading a military campaign since early April 2019, attempting to take over the capital Tripoli from the UNbacked government.

The fighting killed and injured thousands of people and forced more than 150,000 civilians to flee their homes. The rivals agreed to a ceasefire on Jan. 12. However, both parties exchanged accusations of breaching the truce. Meanwhile, al-Mesmari revealed that oil and gas wells in his country are under the full control of the LNA which is led by Khalifa Haftar. He accused Turkey of sending some 7,500 Syrian militants and 1,000 Turkish officers to fight against his army in Libya.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sends 300 to 400 fighters every week to the western part of Libya, where the Haftar’s forces are fighting against the UN-backed government, he said.

In February, Erdogan said he will support the UN-backed Libyan government in controlling all of the country if peace talks fail, adding the Turkeybacked Syrian rebels will be fighting together with Turkish soldiers against the LNA.

(Xinhua)