In statements to “Sky News Arabia”, a member of the committee affiliated with the General Command, Lieutenant-General Faraj Al-Sawa’, said: “The committee looks forward to unifying the military institution as soon as possible,” noting that “many hopes are pinned on the unification of the army in light of the existence of a new consensus government by Parliament.” headed by former Interior Minister Fathi Bashagha.
Regarding the fears of some of the military escalation, Al-Sawa’ revealed that “in the last meeting of the Military Committee in Sirte (Wednesday), a ceasefire was confirmed, and we also stressed the decisions of the outcomes of the Berlin Conference regarding mercenaries and foreign forces, and the discussion of opening the road between Bugrain and Al-Jufra.” He expressed optimism that “there are expectations that the security situation will improve with the new government.”
As for the source of fears of escalation, Al-Sawa’ drew concern about “the purchase of some militias by the outgoing Prime Minister of the National Unity Government, Abdel Hamid al-Dabaiba, for escalation… he began to incite them, and the committee does not have complete control over the militias.”
With regard to the exit of mercenaries, a member of the Joint Military Committee said: “We offered goodwill and made an initiative, and so far nothing has happened.”
Politicians’ responsibility
For his part, a member of the “5 + 5” Joint Military Committee, Major General Mukhtar al-Naqada, confirmed that politicians are responsible for what is happening on the political scene, while the work of the committee is limited to the security and military track.
Regarding the removal of mercenaries and foreign forces, he told “Sky News Arabia” that they need a political decision to start implementing the plan, noting that “the technical committees and teams that were formed in this framework are ready to implement their plans, and there are prepared programs, but they are still not completed because they need to a political decision by an elected president of all Libyans.
With regard to the security situation, Major General Al-Naqada assured the Libyans that “the signing of the ceasefire is still coherent, and things are going in the right way, and there is complete consensus, and we seek in the committee for the continuity of the ceasefire because after this process comes political solutions, but when there is war and cannons ramming.” Cities cannot reach any political solution.”
In this direction: “We are now working to bring all parties closer together.”
And the Joint Military Committee (5 + 5) was agreed to be formed at the Berlin Conference on Libya in January 2020, from 5 soldiers from the National Army forces, and 5 soldiers from the government in Tripoli, to establish the ceasefire.
Last October, the United Nations Mission in Libya praised the achievements of the committee, including maintaining the ceasefire and signing a long-awaited action plan for the withdrawal of mercenaries and foreign forces.
The political horizon became cloudy with Dabaiba announcing his insistence to stay until the elections, refusing to choose the House of Representatives in Thursday’s session, Fathi Bashagha, as prime minister of a new government.
Parliament specified the government’s task in leading the transitional period to presidential and legislative elections.
The spokesman for the General Command of the Armed Forces, Major General Ahmed Al-Mismari, announced that the leadership welcomed the parliament’s decision to assign Bashagha to form a government that works with the regular military and security authorities to impose the prestige of the state, supports the efforts of the Military Committee (5+5), and paves the way for elections and the unification of state institutions.