Khalifa Haftar, at left, on a visit to Moscow in September, 2023, is now in his early 80s (-)The military strongman in the east of divided Libya, Khalifa Haftar, has named one of his sons as army chief, tightening his family's grip on the oil-rich region. In 2019-2020, Haftar tried to seize Tripoli but failed, despite backing from the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Russia and some Western powers. Lacher said that in recent years Haftar's sons had enjoyed "a rapid rise" through the military ranks, "achieving in no time what would take other officers decades". - 'Repression' -Lacher said that Saddam Haftar now holds real military power and a key role in murky business dealings in a graft-ridden country notorious for trafficking of irregular migrants. The recent reshuffles are "a clear sign of preparation for the day when Haftar disappears and when his entire power structure is then in danger," Lacher added.

Source: Libya Today June 15, 2024 07:59 UTC