LIBYA-ARMY CHIEF/JORDAN Libya needs more weapons to fight 'terrorism' - army chief

Record ID: 142727

  • Title: LIBYA-ARMY CHIEF/JORDAN Libya needs more weapons to fight 'terrorism' - army chief
  • Date: 24th August 2015
  • Summary: AMMAN, JORDAN (AUGUST 24, 2015) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** LIBYAN ARMED FORCES COMMANDER, KHALIFA HAFTAR, ARRIVING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE HAFTAR SEATED FOR NEWS CONFERENCE MEDIA TAKING PICTURES (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) LIBYAN ARMED FORCES COMMANDER, KHALIFA HAFTAR, SAYING: "Jordan has good locations for (military) training. These locations are set up and equipped for both technical and tactical training. This is a great thing, something we are currently missing. Another area is the medical field. This is something we are in need of. We are fighting terrorism in our country, and everyday injuries occur. These injured people need facilities like those in Jordan, which are capable of treating many." CAMERAMEN FILMING (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) LIBYAN ARMED FORCES COMMANDER, KHALIFA HAFTAR, SAYING: "We have enough weapons, but if are provided more weapons, we will find ourselves stronger. We are not in need of men, but we need weapons; if we increase our arms, then more men will be able to fight these oppressive groups that have come to us from everywhere." JOURNALISTS FILMING (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) LIBYAN ARMED FORCES COMMANDER, KHALIFA HAFTAR, SAYING: "We said we are fighting terrorism on behalf of the world, not only on behalf of the Arabs, not only on behalf of Libya. The enemy is a common enemy, terrorism is the foe of the entire globe. Those who came to Libya are not Muslims, Jews or Christians, there is no heavenly religion that dictates what these groups have been doing." HAFTAR LEAVING NEWS CONFERENCE
  • Embargoed: 8th September 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Jordan
  • Country: Jordan
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVACDWHBKLKJNMHI3TF5CALSPKZ4
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: The Libyan armed forces commander, Khalifa Haftar, said on Monday (August 24) that Libya needs more assistance to fight extremists.
    Haftar was in Jordan on a three-day visit.
    Addressing a news conference in Amman, he said Jordan can be a good destination for the training of Libyan troops and for medical treatment.
    "Jordan has good locations for (military) training. These locations are set up and equipped for both technical and tactical training. This is a great thing, something we are currently missing. Another area is the medical field. This is something we are in need of. We are fighting terrorism in our country, and everyday injuries occur. These injured people need facilities like those in Jordan, which are capable of treating many," Haftar said.
    He said Libya needs more weapons to fight extremists.
    "We have enough weapons, but if were provided by more weapons we will find ourselves stronger. We are not in need of men, but we need weapons, if we increase our arms, then more men will be able to fight these oppressive groups that have come to us from everywhere," he said.
    "We said we are fighting terrorism on behalf of the world, not only on behalf of the Arabs, not only on behalf of Libya. The enemy is a common enemy, terrorism is the foe of the entire globe. Those who came to Libya are not Muslims, Jews or Christians, there is no heavenly religion that dictates what these groups have been doing," he added.
    Haftar arrived in Jordan on Friday (August 21) and met King's Abdullah's Advisor for Military Affairs and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mashal Mohammad al-Zabin.
    Haftar was appointed army commander for the country's internationally recognised government in March this year.
    Four years after Muammar Gaddafi's demise, Libya's turmoil has been worsened by a conflict between two governments fighting for control.
    Tripoli is held by a faction that expelled the country's official premier to eastern Libya a year ago and which is not recognised by world powers. Islamic State and other armed groups have been exploiting the security vacuum to carve out their own fiefdoms.
    The Tripoli government has denounced Haftar, a former Gaddafi ally, as a "war criminal" and said his promotion would further exacerbate a power struggle. Haftar has been one of the most divisive figures in post-revolutionary Libya.
    Haftar originally helped Gaddafi come to power but fell out with him in the 1980s and then joined the 2011 revolution against him.
    Last year, Haftar began a self-declared war against Islamist militants in Benghazi, Libya's second biggest city.
    He gained support from some Libyans tired of their country's chaos, but also drew criticism over air strikes and attacks on civilian airports and sea ports.
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