Thousands march in support of renegade general in Libya

Thousands of protesters took to the streets of Tripoli, Benghazi and other cities across Libya on Friday in support of a renegade general’s campaign against Islamist militias and his calls to suspend parliament.

The protest, dubbed the “Friday of Dignity,” took its name from the offensive launched by the former general, Khalifa Hafter, one week ago in the eastern city of Benghazi. Hifter has since garnered support from current and former military officers, political figures, civil society groups and the militias that dominate many Libyan cities.

Hundreds of demonstrators gathered in Tripoli’s Martyrs’ Square on Friday afternoon, chanting against the parliament and in support of a national army and police force to replace the militias that emerged after the 2011 civil war. Many of the militias are on the government payroll, although they remain loyal to their own commanders rather than the state.

Hafter is riding a wave of popular discontent directed against the central government, which has failed to tackle rising lawlessness and a string of assassinations that have plagued eastern Libya, particularly Benghazi.

However, Haftar's old links with the CIA have come back to haunt him – with enemies denouncing him as an American "agent". In Libya's charged political mood, the accusation is toxic but it may be misleading or simply old news. For the record the US has denied backing him; he has also denied being in contact with Washington.

Friday’s demonstrations were some of the largest the country has seen since the uprising three years ago. The Hafter-led revolt has ignited a long-brewing political crisis and is posing the most serious challenge to the Libyan government since the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

The interim government issued a statement in support of Friday’s protests and reasserted its proposal this week to suspend parliament. “The participation of tens of thousands [in the protests] requires all to answer to the demands of the people who represent legitimacy that can’t be ignored,” the statement said.

Haftar’s campaign against Islamists won the support of many government officials and military units. His alliance now includes the military intelligence, police forces and the air force.

Libyan jihadist group Ansar al-Sharia, blacklisted as a terrorist organization by Washington, vowed Tuesday to defend its stronghold in Benghazi against Haftar’s expanding alliance.

The group charged that a deadly assault in the eastern city on Friday that mainly targeted its forces was “a war against ... Islam orchestrated by the United States and its Arab allies.”

Meanwhile, Islamist-led militias reached Libya’s capital on Thursday to protect the Islamist-dominated parliament against a renegade general’s offensive.

Libya’s Central Shield militia were seen by residents as they took position among army stations near the airport highway in Tripoli’s south, Al Arabiya correspondent reported.

The militia from the country’s western city of Misrata are under the command of Libya’s chief of staff, who reports to the parliament.

The Libyan government urged all militias to withdraw from Tripoli and stay out of politics.

The cabinet “issued an appeal to the chiefs of all armed brigades in Greater Tripoli” to leave the city and steer clear of politics, Culture Minister Habib Lamine said.

The interim parliament, meanwhile, announced that the country will hold legislative elections on June 25.