By Noora Ibrahim.
Benghazi, 22 October 2014:
The spokesman for the House of Representatives has firmly denied reports that he claimed Operation Dignity was . . .[restrict]directing pro-government forces in Benghazi.
“Parliament [the House of Representatives] is the empowered commander of all the Libyan armed forces,” Faraj Buhashem, the spokesman for the house said.
A report emerged on Monday claiming that the House of Representatives had formally allied itself with Hafter. The same information was published subsequently by several other media outlets.
Buhashem was quoted as saying “Operation Dignity is leading officers and soldiers of the Libyan army … Operation Dignity is an operation of the Libyan army”.
Buhashem explained that he was deeply frustrated by the incomplete quote. “Dignity is carried out by regular members of the Libyan army which is under the command of the Chief of Staff Abdul Razzaq Nazhuri,” he said. He made no reference to Khalifa Hafter widely seen as the head of Dignity but in fact thought to be playing less of a decisive role.
“I hope in the future the media will return to the original source of the information instead of spreading the same mistakes,” he added.<
The House of Representatives has in fact been formally allied with Operation Dignity since August when it appointed Nazhuri, one of Hafter’s deputies, as chief of staff.
The appointment of Nazhuri was deeply controversial and caused a significant schism in the armed forces. From Marj, Nazhuri was one of seven candidates considered for the post by the House of Representatives. General Khalifa Hafter was not on the list because of concerns about his past and that he would be too divisive.
The relationship between the House of Representatives and Operation Dignity has become closer over the course of the past week and the start of a reinvigorated military campaign by pro government forces in Benghazi. On Thursday, Prime Minister Abdullah Al-Thinni praised the work of Khalifa Hafter’s forces in the city.
The gains would not have been possible without the work of army battalions which joined Operation Dignity to fight against Islamists in Benghazi. [/restrict]
