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Khalifa Hiftar: career soldier leading Libyan rebellion Khalifa Haftar: career soldier leading Libyan rebellion
(4 months later)
Libya's rebel leader Khalifa Hiftar has played Iago to various Othellos through four decades of the country's stormy history, but his emergence at the head of forces storming parliament has finally cast him as the lead. Libya's rebel leader Khalifa Haftar has played Iago to various Othellos through four decades of the country's stormy history, but his emergence at the head of forces storming parliament has finally cast him as the lead.
A career soldier, Hiftar – grey-haired, hefty and thought to be 64 – supported Muammar Gaddafi in his 1969 coup that overthrew the monarch, King Idris. His reward was command of Libya's abortive invasion of Chad in the 1980s, a chaotic war in which Hiftar was captured and then disowned by Gaddafi. A career soldier, Haftar – grey-haired, hefty and thought to be 64 – supported Muammar Gaddafi in his 1969 coup that overthrew the monarch, King Idris. His reward was command of Libya's abortive invasion of Chad in the 1980s, a chaotic war in which Haftar was captured and then disowned by Gaddafi.
Embittered, he fled to America, settling in Langley, Virginia, a stone's throw from CIA headquarters. He has denied working with the CIA, but the agency certainly encouraged the main Libyan dissident group, the National Front for the Salvation of Libya, of which Hiftar was chief of the military wing. Embittered, he fled to America, settling in Langley, Virginia, a stone's throw from CIA headquarters. He has denied working with the CIA, but the agency certainly encouraged the main Libyan dissident group, the National Front for the Salvation of Libya, of which Haftar was chief of the military wing.
When the Arab Spring revolution exploded in early 2011, Hiftar returned to lead rebel troops, but was obliged to be second-in-command to Abdel Fatah Younis, Gaddafi's former interior minister. Younis was assassinated during the uprising and Hiftar lost favour, vanishing from the political scene after one of his sons was shot and wounded by a militia guarding a Tripoli bank. When the Arab Spring revolution exploded in early 2011, Haftar returned to lead rebel troops, but was obliged to be second-in-command to Abdel Fatah Younis, Gaddafi's former interior minister. Younis was assassinated during the uprising and Haftar lost favour, vanishing from the political scene after one of his sons was shot and wounded by a militia guarding a Tripoli bank.
In February he resurfaced, giving a televised speech in full uniform denouncing the government as corrupt and calling for its replacement. His call to arms fell flat but won support among army commanders who accused the government of funding Islamist militias at the expense of regular forces.In February he resurfaced, giving a televised speech in full uniform denouncing the government as corrupt and calling for its replacement. His call to arms fell flat but won support among army commanders who accused the government of funding Islamist militias at the expense of regular forces.
Hiftar's support grew in tandem with the government's disintegration. Oil production plummeted during a blockade by anti-government rebels. The national congress, led by Islamists after walkouts by other parties, alienated opponents by continuing beyond its mandate and failing to set a date for new elections. Haftar's support grew in tandem with the government's disintegration. Oil production plummeted during a blockade by anti-government rebels. The national congress, led by Islamists after walkouts by other parties, alienated opponents by continuing beyond its mandate and failing to set a date for new elections.
On Friday, announcing "Operation Restore Libya's Dignity", Hiftar struck, with air force units bombing Islamist militia bases in Benghazi and army units defecting to his side in fighting that left 70 dead. On Sunday, Zintan militias aligned with him stormed the parliament in an uprising that caught the government unawares. On Friday, announcing "Operation Restore Libya's Dignity", Haftar struck, with air force units bombing Islamist militia bases in Benghazi and army units defecting to his side in fighting that left 70 dead. On Sunday, Zintan militias aligned with him stormed the parliament in an uprising that caught the government unawares.
As army and militia forces polarise, Hiftar has declared that he wants no political power, apparently committing to fresh elections. Comparisons with the Egyptian army's ousting of Cairo's Muslim Brotherhood government last year are inexact, as neither Hiftar nor the Islamists enjoy broad support. The struggle to gain that support is likely to determine the success or failure of his rebellion. As army and militia forces polarise, Haftar has declared that he wants no political power, apparently committing to fresh elections. Comparisons with the Egyptian army's ousting of Cairo's Muslim Brotherhood government last year are inexact, as neither Haftar nor the Islamists enjoy broad support. The struggle to gain that support is likely to determine the success or failure of his rebellion.