Libyan warlord Haftar claims 'victory is near' in Tripoli offensive

Haftar's campaign to capture Tripoli from forces loyal to the UN-recognised Government of National Accord has left nearly 1,093 people dead.

MENA

1 min read

The New Arab & agencies

25 July, 2019

The fighting has forced more than 100,000 people to flee their homes. [Getty]

Libyan National Army (LNA) commander in chief, Marshal Khalifa Haftar, said in a televised speech on Wednesday evening that Libyan forces are nearing victory in Tripoli.

"Our aim is to liberate our country from east to west, from north to south," Haftar said, stressing victory will soon be celebrated.

He said Libya would become a stable and secure country where people live "free" and "proud".

Haftar's three-month campaign to capture Tripoli from forces loyal to the UN-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) has left nearly 1,093 people dead, including 106 civilians, and more than 5,750 wounded, according to the UN's World Health Organization.

The fighting has also forced more than 100,000 people to flee their homes.

Haftar has sought to present himself as a strong hand who can restore stability to Libya. In recent years, his campaign against Islamist militants has won him some support from world leaders who say they are concerned the North African country has turned into a haven for armed groups, and a major conduit for migrants bound for Europe.

His opponents view him as an aspiring autocrat and fear a return to brutal one-man rule.

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