The Benghazi-based court-martial has freed Mahmoud Al-Werfalli - the commander of Saiqa Force of Khalifa Haftar's self-styled army - from charges and removed his arrest warrant, in defiance to the International Criminal Court arrest warrant of him.

The ICC accused Al-Werfalli of war crimes, crimes against humanity and summary executions and issued an arrest warrant of him in 2018.

The ICC's Prosecutor has more than once spoken at the UN Security Council on the matter, urging the authorities in Libya to arrest and surrender the war criminal Al-Werfalli.

Last February, Al-Werfalli said he surrendered to the Marij city's military prosecutor for the crimes he was charged with.

In the meantime, ICC spokesman Fadi El Abdallah told Alnabaa TV Channel that the arrest warrant of Al-Werfalli is in place and is not affected by the Benghazi ruling.

El Abdallah renewed the call of the ICC on the Libyan authorities in the east to arrest and surrender Al-Werfalli.