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Thousands rally to support renegade Libyan general

31 May 2014 01:26 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. Several thousand Libyan protesters took to the streets Friday for a second week to support a renegade general who has launched an armed campaign against Islamist militias in the restive east of the country, APA reports quoting Associated Press.

Supporters of Gen. Khalifa Hifter gathered in the capital Tripoli, the eastern city of Benghazi and other cities, where they protested against the Islamist-led parliament and its newly appointed prime minister, chanting: "The army of dignity is coming." They also raised banners reading: "Our people and army fighting terrorism."

Similar protests took place last week, also in support of Hifter, who says he aims to crush Islamist militias backed by parliament and impose stability after three years of chaos following the overthrow and killing of dictator Moammar Gadhafi in 2011.

Hifter has welcomed the street rallies and says they have given him a "mandate to fight terrorism."

Local media footage showed protesters in Tripoli destroying a coffin on which they had written "Ansar al-Sharia," the name of an Al-Qaeda-inspired militia, and "Ahmed Maiteg," the name of the newly appointed Islamist-backed prime minister.

Hundreds of protesters nearby called for strengthening the country's security forces but chanted against Hifter. They voiced support for parliament while holding a banner reading "No to terrorism."

The rival demonstrators pushed and shoved briefly, and two policemen were wounded while separating them, a security official said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the press.

On May 4, the Islamist-dominated parliament appointed Maiteg in a disputed vote amid a walkout by secular lawmakers.

Libya's weak central government has struggled to assert control over former rebel brigades turned militias, many of which are more loyal to tribe, region or ideology than to the government in Tripoli. Hifter's supporters have accused the parliament of funding Islamist militias while his detractors have accused him of staging a "coup" against the elected assembly.