Libya’s warlord is in an almost vegetative state and will never be normal again, the Middle East Eye reported on Wednesday, citing an informed EU diplomat.
The EU diplomat, who preferred not to be named, told the London-based online news portal that Haftar is “unable to talk or even fully comprehend.”
“Haftar is suffering from lung cancer, which has spread to his brain,” the diplomat further explained, adding that “the doctor treating him says that even if he responds partially to treatment, it will be temporarily and he will never be normal again."
On Friday evening, news surfaced online claiming Haftar was dead. The UN envoy to Libya Ghassan Salame telephoned a local news TV shortly and said he had conducted a 10-minute telephone call with Haftar and discussed with him the political process, in what appeared to be an attempt to refute Haftar’s death rumors.
The EU diplomat told the MEE that Salame was under pressure by Italy, France and the UAE to confirm that Haftar is alive.
Meanwhile, Radio France Internationale quoted France's foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian as saying on Wednesday that “Khalifa Haftar is in a military hospital in Paris and he is doing better now.”
