Libya’s Haftar denies insulting Saif al-Islam Gaddafi

CAIRO - 14 January 2018: Libya's national army commander Khalifa Haftar denied insulting Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, the son of the former Libyan president, during his interview with a weekly African magazine last week, according to an official statement by the Libyan Army’s spokesperson.

“Field Marshal Haftar did not insult Saif al-Islam Gaddafi because he believes Saif al-Islam is a Libyan citizen,” said Libyan Army’s Spokesperson Ahmed al-Mesmari in an official statement on Thursday.

Mesmari stressed that Haftar had never insulted any Libyan citizen in general and Saif al-Islam in particular, adding, “This false news was fabricated by the Muslim Brotherhood affiliates for evil purposes.”

“A legal lawsuit will be filed against the journalist who had made up these fake statements,” he added.

On January 9, the weekly Jeune Afrique magazine published an interview with Field Marshal Haftar, in which the writer had claimed that Haftar stated, “Saif al-Islam lacks political experience; we are chasing a losing wager if we bet on him."

According to the alleged statements published by the French-speaking magazine, Haftar said “Saif al-Islam does not enjoy the sufficient popularity to guarantee him an effective role in the next stage of Libya's future."

In December, Libyan tribal chief and spokesperson of the Gaddafi family, Basem al-Hashimi al-Soul, revealed to Egypt Today that Saif al-Islam Gaddafi intends to run for the upcoming presidential elections, due in 2018.

Since the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, many armed entities have fought to gain control over Libya. The country is currently in a power struggle between the internationally recognized government of Al-Wefaq (Political Party) in Tripoli and the "interim government”, supported by Haftar's forces.