A former general accused the Sudanese government of sending weapons to Libyan Islamist militia

une 6, 2014 (KHARTOUM) – Libyan forces loyal to a renegade former general accused the Sudanese government of sending weapons via planes to Islamist militias.
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General Khalifa Haftar attends a news conference at Benina air base in Benghazi on 24 May 2014 (Photo: Reuters/Esam Omran Al-Fetori)
Colonel Mohamed al-Hejazi, spokesperson of Khalifa Heftar forces, told Cairo-based al-Youm al-Sabe’ newspaper that the latest shipment arrived on Friday morning at Meetiga military base airport.
The military spokesperson asserted that Sudan sent planes carrying arms to these extremist groups at different times in the past without the knowledge of the Libyan government.
He said these weapons have already been received by a militia loyal to Abdul Hakim Belhaj adding that Qatar funds these deliveries.
This week, the newspaper quoted unnamed sources as saying that Belhaj himself travelled to Sudan for meetings with officials in Khartoum there to coordinate logistics for Qatari aid.
Heftar’s rise came after he claimed that his forces represent the legitimate Libyan army and has managed to win the support of military units inside Benghazi for his offensive against the jihadists which he labeled as Operation Karama (dignity).
The Libyan government however accused him of trying to stage a coup but Heftar says that these militias have wreaked havoc in the North African nation.
Libya has been plagued by political infighting, with government and parliament unable to control militias that have continued to defy state authority since ousting Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

Cairo-based al-Youm al-Sabe

General Khalifa Haftar attends a news conference at Benina air base in Benghazi on 24 May 2014 (Photo: Reuters/Esam Omran Al-Fetori)