Libyan Presidential Council rejects Al-Serraj’s “individual decisions”

CAIRO – 3 September 2017: Three members of the Tripoli-based Libyan Presidential Council have issued a televised statement rejecting recent “individual” moves made by the head of the Presidential Council, Fayez Al-Serraj, in violation of the terms of the Libyan Political Agreement that was signed in December 2015.

Presidential Council members Fathi Al-Mijabri, Ali Faraj Qatrani and Omar Al-Aswad announced that Serraj has violated the Libyan Political Agreement because he had made some decisions without counseling the other members, threatening the regional and international efforts to reach internal stability and consensus in Libya.

The Presidential Council has nine members – a president supported by five vice presidents and three ministers. Any decision taken by the council must be approved unanimously by its president and all its vice presidents.

“We warn the head of the Presidential Council of terrible consequences that may be caused for violating the terms of the Political Agreement. We call on the Libyan people and all authorities to reject these decisions,” the statement read.

“We call on the United Nations … to take a clear stance in response to such violations that risk Libya’s stability,” the statement adds.

On August 28, Serraj visited Sudan, where he met with the Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir. During the meeting, Bashir stressed his support for the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord of Al-Serraj. The Sudanese president reiterated his accusations against Libyan military commander Khalifa Haftar of enlisting rebels from the country’s Darfur region to fight alongside his forces.

In a joint press conference, Serraj and Bashir announced that they reached an agreement to normalize their tense relations and secure common borders. The Libyan leader’s visit comes amid a row that erupted in July when Libya’s Haftar ordered the closure of Sudan’s consulate in the city of Kufra, in southeastern Libya, and expelled 12 diplomats.

A Libyan news agency had reported that the Sudanese mission in Kufra was closed because it threatened “Libyan national security”.

Libya has been locked in conflict since the revolt that overthrew long-time leader Muammar Gaddafi four years ago.

The civil war has witnessed the emergence of numerous armed groups, forcing several countries to evacuate their expatriates and diplomats.