AP Interview: Libya army chief bets on military solution
AMMAN, Jordan (AP) — The military chief of Libya's
internationally recognized government expressed skepticism Tuesday about
U.N.-backed talks aimed at ending the country's political split and
said in an interview that he is "betting on a military solution" if a
deal remains elusive.
Gen. Khalifa Hifter's comments underscored the obstacles to
any agreement between rival governments in Libya. The international
community is pushing for a deal, fearing that Libya's chaos could
destabilize its neighbors.
Libya effectively split in half last year when forces allied
to Hifter attempted to drive rival militias out of Tripoli and were
defeated, leaving Libya's internationally recognized government and
elected parliament confined to the eastern cities of Tobruk and Bayda.
The two sides have been negotiating in Morocco to end months
of fighting, the bloodiest since the 2011 overthrow of dictator Moammar
Gadhafi.
U.N. envoy Bernadino Leon has visited both Tripoli and Tobruk,
where he has proposed keeping Libya's elected parliament and setting up
a unity government of independents. A new round of talks is to begin
Wednesday.
Hifter, who commands forces loyal to the Tobruk government,
told The Associated Press on Tuesday that he doesn't oppose negotiations
outright. He said he would abide by decisions of his government, but
said it was not clear how the political rivals could reach a deal. He
would not agree to any cease-fire with militias, he said.
Hifter said that if peace talks go nowhere, "then the military solution is a must because it is decisive." "The
military solution is a painful solution," he said. "But when we are
forced to, when we see our homeland torn apart as it is happening now,
between militias and terrorists, we resort to a military solution. We
are betting on the military solution."
The general said he believes his forces could win such a
battle even though they currently control only a small area of Libya and
no major cities.
Militants affiliated with the Islamic State group and other
jihadists have gained a foothold in the vast, petroleum-rich country.
The gunmen who attacked a Tunisian museum last month, killing 22 people,
mostly tourists, were reportedly trained in Libya and the Islamic State
group's Libyan affiliate claimed responsibility for the attack.
Hifter spoke during a visit to Jordan, a member of a U.S.-led
military coalition that has carried out airstrikes against Islamic State
targets in neighboring Syria and Iraq.
On Monday, Hifter met with Jordan's King Abdullah II and with
army chief, Lt. Gen. Mashal Zaben. Abdullah told Hifter that Jordan
supports Libya's efforts to fight militants, according to the official
news agency Petra. Zaben and Hifter talked about closer coordination
between the two armies.
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