Libya declares mobilization to face Haftar's forces

By Ali Semerci</p> <p>TRIPOLI (AA) – Libya's Presidential Council declared a military alert Wednesday after forces loyal to commander Khalifa Haftar were deployed to western parts of the country.</p> <p>In a statement, the chairman of the council, Fayez al-Sarraj, said instructions were issued and mobilization of all military and security forces was declared to thwart any attacks.</p> <p>There is no military solution to the crisis, al-Sarraj said, adding the war does not bring anything to the country other than destruction and annoyance to the people.</p> <p>Haftar on Wednesday reportedly ordered his forces to deploy to western parts of the country with a view to “purging them of terrorist groups and strongholds”.</p> <p>The statement did not provide the exact locations to which forces were reportedly being deployed.</p> <p>The move comes amid mounting speculation that pro-Haftar forces plan to march on the capital Tripoli, where Libya’s UN-backed unity government is headquartered.</p> <p>Libya has remained beset by turmoil since 2011, when a bloody NATO-backed uprising led to the ouster and death of President Muammar Gaddafi after four decades in power. </p> <p>Since then, Libya’s stark political divisions have yielded two rival seats of power: one in the eastern city of Al-Bayda, to which Haftar is affiliated, and another in Tripoli. </p> <p>On April 14, a UN-sponsored “national dialogue” conference will be held in Libya’s western city of Ghadames with the aim of hammering out a political “roadmap” for the troubled country’s future.</p> <p>*Writing by Faruk Zorlu