Eastern Libyan military commander Khalifa Haftar late on Thursday rejected calls for a ceasefire by Turkey and Russia and announced a continuation of his military operations, Al Jazeera reported.
In a statement read by his spokesman, Ahmad al-Mesmari, Haftar claimed a revival of the political process and the country’s stability could only be assured by the “eradication of terrorist groups” and the dissolution of the militia controlling the capital, Tripoli.
Haftar’s forces in April launched an offensive against the capital, seat of the UN-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA).
“We welcome [Russian President Vladimir] Putin’s call for a ceasefire. However, our fight against terrorist organizations that seized Tripoli and received the support of some countries will continue until the end,” al-Mesmari said in a video posted on social media.
On Wednesday the Turkish and Russian presidents urged a ceasefire in Libya by Jan. 12 following a meeting in Istanbul. The Tripoli government welcomed the ceasefire call.