Libyan Commander Haftar Calls for ‘Decisive Battle’ To Take Over Tripoli after 8 Months

By Staff, Agencies

Libya’s self-styled commander Khalifa Haftar called on his forces to advance toward the heart of the capital Tripoli, in an offensive he said is to be a "decisive battle" against armed groups backing the internationally recognized Government of National Accord [GNA].

Haftar called on his forces on Thursday to launch "the decisive battle and the advance on the heart of the capital to set it free…advance now our heroes."

"Zero hour has come for the broad and total assault expected by every free and honest Libyan," he said.

Haftar’s eastern-based Libyan National Army [LNA], backed by Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates [UAE] launched an offensive in April to take control of Tripoli from the government of Prime Minister Fayez al-Serraj.

The offensive has so far killed at least 200 civilians and displaced some 146,000 people, according to the United Nations figures.

Eight months later, Haftar’s forces remain bogged down on the outskirts of Tripoli.

This has been happening despite Saudi Arabia having “promised tens of millions of dollars to help pay for the operation” by Haftar’s forces back then, the Wall Street Journal reported in April.