Will Haftar announce his plan to divide Libya in two?

It is claimed that Khalifa Haftar, the leader of the armed forces in eastern Libya, will make a statement on the de facto separation of the east and west of the country on December 24.

Since the Arab Spring, the waters in Libya have not calmed down.

Khalifa Haftar, the leader of the armed forces in eastern Libya, said in a statement yesterday that a significant change will take place on December 24.

According to Libyan sources, Haftar will make a statement on the de facto separation of the east and west of the country on December 24. 

On the other hand, it is not a coincidence that Haftar's statement was put on December 24. As a matter of fact, the current Prime Minister, Abdulhamid Dibeybe, was supposed to lead the country to elections until 24 December 2021 and leave his post as of 24 December. 

Dibeybe said that he would continue his duty on the grounds that "necessary conditions" were not met and that he would hold the elections as soon as possible. However, exactly one year has passed since this date and no movement regarding the elections is observed in the country. 

Hafter's loss of the political-military rivalry over former Interior Minister Fethi Başağa and Dibeybe's coming out stronger from this rivalry places the date of December 24 at a critical point for Haftar and Libya.

Another important actor in the country, Seyfulislam Gaddafi, son of ousted leader Muammar Gaddafi, is about to engage in a separatist movement in the Fezzan region.

Saif al-Islam was a candidate in the Presidential elections on December 24, 2021, but the Libyan Supreme Election Council did not accept his candidacy.

Savunmatr 23 December 22