Date: Sat, 7 Jun 2014 12:24:31 +0200
Sudanese planes carrying arms land in Libya: report
<http://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article51260>
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June 7, 2014 (KHARTOUM) - Libyan forces loyal to a renegade former general
accused the Sudanese government of sending weapons via planes to Islamist
militias.
Colonel Mohamed al-Hejazi, spokesperson of Khalifa Heftar forces, told
Cairo-based al-Youm al-Sabe' newspaper that the latest shipment arrived on
Friday morning at Meetiga military base airport.
The military spokesperson asserted that Sudan sent planes carrying arms to
these extremist groups at different times in the past without the knowledge
of the Libyan government.
He said these weapons have already been received by a militia loyal to Abdul
Hakim Belhaj adding that Qatar funds these deliveries.
This week, the newspaper quoted unnamed sources as saying that Belhaj
himself travelled to Sudan for meetings with officials in Khartoum there to
coordinate logistics for Qatari aid.
Heftar's rise came after he claimed that his forces represent the legitimate
Libyan army and has managed to win the support of military units inside
Benghazi for his offensive against the jihadists which he labeled as
Operation Karama (dignity).
The Libyan government however accused him of trying to stage a coup but
Heftar says that these militias have wreaked havoc in the North African
nation.
Libya has been plagued by political infighting, with government and
parliament unable to control militias that have continued to defy state
authority since ousting Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.
JPEG - 19.6 kb
General Khalifa Haftar attends a news conference at Benina air base in
Benghazi on 24 May 2014 (Photo: Reuters/Esam Omran Al-Fetori)
(image/jpeg attachment: image001.jpg)