Foiled coup attempt intensifies chaos in Libya

Chaos has taken over Libya for months and it’s getting worse by the day. This weekend has been particularly wild. On Sunday, forces loyal to renegade general attempted a coup in Parliament, with bullets and tanks in the streets of the capital, against the legislature. On Friday, those same forces had caused all armed confrontation in the rebel city of Benghazi that caused more than 70 dead and 140 wounded. Benina airport in that city, has been closed all weekend and this morning has been a rocket attack ‘ Grad ‘ early, as reported by military and security sources. The European Union on Monday expressed its deep concern at the situation in this key country in North Africa, while suffering from the phenomenon of immigration.

This latest violent episode in Tripoli has been considered as the worst since the 2011 fall of dictator Muammar Gaddafi and comes after weeks of great insecurity in the capital of Libya, which have been reproduced kidnappings and releases of strange foreign diplomats, the closure several international delegations as weak local authorities had assured that finally liberate oil ports in the Gulf of Es Sider blocked since last summer by armed militias. A barrel of Brent crude for June delivery today opened up in the Intercontinental Futures Exchange (ICE), the London market, to trade at $ 109.97, 0.20% more than at the end of Friday. Libya has long been trying to recover the lost production capacity of oil to improve their economic conditions. The government of neighboring Tunisia today announced sending reinforcements to the border with Libya.

Colonel Mokhtar Farnana, commander of the military police, which was reported by Libyan television on Sunday night a led by General Khalifa Hifter group had entered by force in the capital to appoint a Constituent Assembly to 60 members replace the Parliament and launch another Constitution. Farnana said the Libyan government would work in emergency mode, but did not elaborate. Also reported that loyalists attacked Parliament Hifter dead on Sunday, but declined to classify the transaction coup and named as a fight of ” chosen by the people.” “We announce to the world that the country can not be an incubator for terrorism ” proclaimed Farnana military dress uniform with the Libyan flag. Farnana is the head of the armed forces in Tripoli.

The result of the attack on parliament on Sunday is still very confusing. Some sources claim that could produce even two dead and over 50 injured. Also participated in the same two rebel members of armed groups, Al and Al Qaqaa Sawaeq, which campaigns for different areas.

The interim government of Libya, which has changed prime minister three times in just over a month and had not yet completed all of his last cabinet portfolios, has not commented on these statements by the military. The Justice Minister Saleh al- Mergani, has only appeared to appeal to the parties to lay down their arms and engage in dialogue.

The shots on the Libyan Parliament on Sunday were heard throughout the day and several miles away. Tanks and armed cars on different streets of the capital were also seen. And smoke on nearby rooftops parliament.

A security official told local media that the attackers fired on an area controlled by Islamist militia nearby military base. Because the military rebels led by General Khalifa Hifter are especially against Islamist militias in Benghazi, the second city in the nation, in the east, but also question their presence in Parliament. And criticize the central government has no authority to control them. Indeed spokesman branded the Parliament generally cited as the “core of the crisis ” national and added: “This Parliament is supporting extremist Islamist organizations. The aim was to arrest these Islamists masquerading as political. “

Lawmakers gathered Sunday in the Parliament attack were trying to endorse the new Prime Minister Ahmed Miitig, elected on 4 May, and also assessing the critical situation in Benghazi. The first conclusion was clear what happened. The rebels had tried a ” coup ” against the Libyan interim government. Members were evacuated by the security forces and the Speaker of Parliament was protected safe to try to continue talks with various political groups to standardize the crisis place.

Libyan Parliament is divided, like the country, between Islamists and non-Islamist forces have disputed the appointment of a new government and elections. Last month the Islamist forces supported the appointment of a new prime minister, while the non-Islamist groups marched from the room where the meeting was held. The former prime minister resigned after announcing that his family had been threatened. And his predecessor was forced to leave the government and the country after the crisis of authority that was found after the incident involving the Morning Glory, North Korean boat flag rebel militia managed to load oil in the port of Sirte despite warnings of the armed forces.

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Posted by Shakira Subhani on May 20 2014. Filed under Middle East. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.