The Libyan National Army (LNA) of the eastern government will continue fighting the rival forces based in Tripoli until the takeover of the city since its peace offer was turned down, Aref Ali Nayed, an envoy for the eastern Libyan government, told Sputnik in an exclusive interview
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 25th December, 2019) The Libyan National Army (LNA) of the eastern government will continue fighting the rival forces based in Tripoli until the takeover of the city since its peace offer was turned down, Aref Ali Nayed, an envoy for the eastern Libyan government, told Sputnik in an exclusive interview.
On December 12, the Libyan National Army (LNA), led by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar and aligned with the Tobruk-based government, announced a final offensive to gain control of the Libyan capital of Tripoli, which is currently under the control of the rival Government of National Accord (GNA). On Sunday night, the LNA extended for another three days its ultimatum to the pro-GNA forces, urging them to leave Tripoli.
"The army has fulfilled all its moral obligation towards the Libyan people and to the civilians of Tripoli and Misrata, and has made an offer of peace and an offer for an exit out of this crisis. Unfortunately, it was not taken up � on the contrary, it has arrogantly responded to. I expect the army to continue fighting until the end, until the liberation of Tripoli from militias that have been abusing the Libyan state and preventing the Libyan nation state from rising because they have transnational ambitions," Nayed said.
He noted that concrete decisions on how to proceed with the offensive have yet to be taken by the military command.
"The Libyan National Army has done all that it can to save the lives of civilians, and will make its decision according to its own strategic plans and tactics in order to address this threat, not only in Tripoli but also in Sirte, and perhaps in Misrata," Nayed said.
The official stressed that the LNA had not entered Tripoli earlier, but chose to fight rival forces in the outskirts of the city because it cared about civilians.
"This is not because of weakness or the inability to enter Tripoli, but because we want to, because the Libyan army wants to reduce civilian casualties as much as possible," he said.
