Renegade General Khalifa Haftar has applauded Tripoli armed brigades loyal to the UN-proposed Presidency Council, describing them as “patriots.”

Described once as terror groups wreaking havoc in the capital, Haftar now said these armed groups have taken the mission to protect the capital from the “political Islam groups,” his staunch foes.

In a letter to his loyal brigades in western and southern Libya, Haftar ordered his militias, mainly from Zintan and Wirshiffana, to move to the capital to give a hand to the “patriots.”

“The General Command instructs its military units in the western region to get ready to defend the capital from terrorism and help the national forces, which are securing the capital.”       

Haftar was reacting to Friday clashes in Tripoli between brigades loyal to Fayaz Sirraj-led Presidency Council and rival brigades aligned with the Salvation Government of Khalifa Al-Ghawiel.

Observers say Khalifa Haftar is cozying up to Tripoli brigades after years of labelling them as militias and terror groups in order to win their approval to control the capital.

But his dream of controlling the capital and then Libya seems elusive. All Tripoli brigades have already declared him persona non grata and have utterly rejected his Operation Dignity.

Last March, 22 armed brigades, mostly loyal to the Presidency Council, said “prisoner of war Khalifa Haftar is totally rejected.” Earlier this month, the security adviser to the Presidency Council, Hashim Bisher, said the capital is a red line for Khalifa Haftar.

 

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