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By Ibrahim Drissi.
Benghazi, 14 September 2016:
Khalifa Hafter, the head of the Libyan National Army, has been promoted from general to marshal. The promotion, made by the president of the House of Representatives, Ageela Saleh, was announced by the Beida office of the Libyan news agency LANA today.
The promotion is seen being a recognition of Hafter’s takeover on Sunday of the eastern oil terminals of Ras Lanuf, Sidra and Zueitina.
The rank of field marshal or “mosheer” has not previously existed in the Libyan army, although it does in the Egyptian army, on which the Libyan is modelled, as well as in some other Arab armies. Egypt’s President Abdel-Fateh El Sisi, said to be a role model for Hafter, was field marshal until he resigned his military rank to run for the Egyptian presidency.
According to LANA, LNA officers have been congratulating Hafter on his promotion.
