Hifter was an ally and then a rival of Moammar Gaddafi. A former CIA asset and U.S. citizen who long lived in Northern Virginia, Hifter now leads the Libyan National Army, a force based in the country’s east, where he controls significant territory. In 2019, his forces set their sights on Tripoli, where a U.N.-backed government has been in power. That offensive was ultimately repulsed, and Hifter has been accused in U.S. courts of committing war crimes during the offensive. He has tried to claim immunity.

Source: Libya Today December 02, 2021 09:01 UTC