By Libya Herald reporter.
Tripoli, 23 March 2016:
A number of militia leaders, including Haithem Tajouri, are reported to have agreed to set . . .[restrict]up a new “operations room” to secure Tripoli and prevent the Presidency Council and the Government of National Accord from assuming power.
It a meeting this evening said to have taken place at the Prime Ministry building in Tripoli, a number of militia commanders agreed to set up the new operations room. The aim, a statement read, is “to support the security and military forces in maintaining security and stability within and outside the capital and to reject any attempt to enter [the city] by any government that does not meet the Libyans’ wishes”.
The statement also claimed that the brigades joining the new body were “from various cities and regions of Libya”. This, however, this has not been confirmed.
The specific objectives of the new operations room are:
- To ensure all roads remain open and state institutions are secure;
- To take control of Libya’s oilfields and secure the country’s revenues’
- To arrest anyone trying to destabilise the security of the capital or of any other Libyan town or city;
- To fight terrorism and extremist groups in Libya;
- To fight crime, including robbery and kidnapping, and arrest anyone who violates the law
This evening’s statement also called on the international community not to align itself with any specific party but instead help Libyans to set up a “consensus” government unlinked to any singe party or group – in other words, to support the so-called “Libya-Libya” dialogue.
It further told the Central Bank of Libya to ensure there was sufficient cash in the banks for the public to draw on. Insisting that they stood firmly by the “principles” of the 17 February Revolution, the brigade added that Sharia law had to be the source of all legislation. Anything else was invalid the statement said.
It is not clear in what way the new operations room differs from the Libyan Revolutionaries‘ Operations Rom which last week said that it would fight Serraj if he arrived in Tripoli and tries to take over the government. [/restrict]
