UPDATE – Libya's Haftar begins campaign to take capital Tripoli

UPDATES WITH BACKGROUND; ADDS DETAILS</p> <p>By Jihad Nasr, Walid Abdullah and Adam Moro</p> <p>TRIPOLI (AA) – Military commander Khalifa Haftar on Thursday launched a campaign aimed at capturing capital Tripoli, where Libya’s UN-backed unity government is headquartered.</p> <p>Haftar, who is affiliated with a rival government based in the eastern city of Al-Bayda, announced the launch of the campaign in a recorded message posted on his media office’s Facebook account.</p> <p>“Today we continue the struggle and answer the calls of the people of Tripoli,” Haftar said in the message.</p> <p>Interior Ministry under the Tripoli-based unity government declared a state of emergency, announcing that the Haftar’s forces will be held responsible for any negative development. </p> <p>Meanwhile, revolutionist groups in western Libyan city of Misrata said they are ready to face Haftar’s forces, local media reported.</p> <p> </p> <p>- UN expresses concern over military mobilization</p> <p>UN Secretary-General António Guterres tweeted on Thursday: “I am deeply concerned by the military movements taking place in Libya and the risk of confrontation.” </p> <p>“There is no military solution,” he said in reference to Libya’s ongoing political crisis. “Only intra-Libyan dialogue can solve Libya’s problems.” </p> <p>Speaking from Tripoli, where he arrived Wednesday, Guterres urged the country’s rival political camps to exercise “calm and restraint”. </p> <p>In an earlier tweet, the UN chief underlined his commitment to “supporting a Libyan-led political process leading to peace, stability, democracy and prosperity for the Libyan people”. </p> <p> </p> <p>- Qatar warns Libya to avoid chaos, insecurity </p> <p>Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said Thursday that Libya faces the risk of “sliding back into chaos and insecurity”. </p> <p>The ministry issued the warning in a statement released shortly after unity government claimed to have spotted forces loyal to Haftar near Tripoli. </p> <p>“Qatar is following with great concern recent military escalations in Libya and warns against a further slide into chaos and insecurity in the west of the country [near Tripoli],” the ministry statement read.</p> <p>Earlier Wednesday, Fayez al-Sarraj, head of the Tripoli-based government, ordered the government’s security forces to “prepare for — and respond to — any threats aimed at destabilizing the region”.</p> <p>Earlier the same day, Haftar reportedly ordered his forces to deploy to western parts of the country with a view to “purging the region of terrorist groups and strongholds”.</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, the country’s stark political divisions have yielded two rival seats of power: one in the eastern city of Al-Bayda, to which Haftar is linked, and the UN-backed government in Tripoli.</p> <p> </p> <p>*Writing by Erdogan Cagatay Zontur