By Moutaz Ahmed.
Benghazi, 4 July 2014:
No solution to the current stalemate between Ansar Al-Sharia and Benghazi Joint Security Room . . .[restrict](BJSR) over the former’s presence at Benghazi’s Jalaa Hospital has been found. Negotiations between the two sides now involving not only Benghazi Municipal Council and the local hospitals’ association but also the government, are deadlocked.
Awad Alqawiri, a member of both the new Benghazi Municipal Council and the hospitals association told the Libya Herald that Prime Minister Abdullah Al-Thinni and Cabinet Secretary Ahmed Al-Amin had been in contact with BJSR but that as of yet no resolution to the stand-off had been reached. Two days ago, in an open letter to the Minister of Health the manager of Jalaa hospital, Mohamed Bargarthi, asked the government to intervene to resolve the crisis.
Alqawiri said he had not personally been in contact with Ansar Al-Sharia, which took over guarding the hospital, but that he knew Abdullah Bin Trati, a member of Benghazi Crisis Committee, had begun talks with the city’s Revolutionary Shura Council of which Ansar is a part. He added that the deadlock could turn to catastrophe if fighting broke out, explaining that the Salmani district where Jalaa hospital is located was a densely populated residential area.
An Ansar group moved into the hospital and took over security there ten days ago after BJSR forces pulled out. Five days ago, the BSJR ordered the total evacuation of the hospital, threatening to remove staff and patients by force if necessary. The hospital said that it was not possible.
Head of Saiqa Special Forces Investigations Unit Fadel Al-Hassi has said that if it was required Saiqa would move in to protect Jalaa at the request of its doctors. However, no such request had been made.
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