Übersetzung aus: mideastwire.com

The tribe where General Haftar takes shelter asks him to leave“

On June 10, the Qatari owned Al-Quds al-Arabi reported: „Libyan tribal sources said on Monday that the Al-Awaqir tribe, one of the most prominent tribes in Eastern Libya, in whose areas retired Maj-Gen Khalifah Haftar has taken shelter, requested him to leave. These sources said that this request followed a meeting on Saturday of the tribe’s chieftains in the city of Al-Abyar, which is adjacent to Benghazi. The spokesman for the Libyan Constitution-Drafting Committee said that the committee is far meeting people’s calls to assume power. Tribal sources in eastern Libya said that the Al-Awaqir tribe, which is based in Benghazi, Al-Abyar, Binina, and Al-Rujmah, notified General Haftar of the need to leave the area because the tribe does not want its areas to serve as a launching pad for firing missiles at Benghazi. These sources pointed out that Haftar did not give a negative or positive answer to this request.

„It was not possible to receive an immediate answer from General Haftar on this request. Yet, Ziyad Bal’am, leader of the Benghazi Revolutionaries Room, said yesterday that Haftar has no forces in Benghazi. He said that Haftar forces are deployed outside the city, and are basically stationed in the areas of Binina and Al-Rujmah (east of Benghazi). Reacting to this statement, spokesman for Haftar forces Col. Muhammad al-Hijazi said: „We have forces for special operations and special units of the Libyan National Army inside Benghazi.“ He added: „We actually have Special Forces inside Benghazi. They remain unobtrusive, but they engage in operations.“ Al-Siddiq al-Darsi, spokesman for the Constitution-Drafting Committee, said yesterday: „The committee is far from meeting people’s calls for taking over power, but will be at the beck and call of the people’s will if the homeland’s interest so requires.“ He said: „the committee is far from meeting the Libyan people’s call for taking over power.“ He added: „The committee will be at the beck and call of the Libyan people’s will if the homeland’s interest so requires.“ Demonstrations were staged before the Constitution-Drafting Committee’s headquarters in Al-Bayda on Friday, calling on the committee to take over power from the General National Congress (parliament). Al-Darsi added: „We are watching developments closely. What is happening on the street is a major problem, because there are people who are seeking to partition Libya. Certain circumstances might be imposed. We will voice our stand as an independent committee.“

„Al-Darsi added: „The committee has actually started to draft the constitution although, according to the constitutional declaration, the timeframe is barely four months (went into effect in May); haste does not build a homeland.“ He said: „We are striving to finish drafting the constitution in time.“ The Constitution-Drafting Committee includes 60 members, 20 for each of the three regions in the country, namely Tripoli (northwest), Fazzan (south), and Barqah (in the east).“

Al-Quds al-Arabi, United Kingdom