Al-Wefaq militias commit crimes, violations against citizens

Sherif Abdelzaher

Since the Libyan crisis started, militias of the Libyan Government of National Accord (Al-Wefaq), which are being supported by Doha and Ankara, have been committing serious crimes against citizens in Tripoli.

On the other hand, the national army of Libya, under the leadership of  General Khalifa Haftar, is carrying extensive operations to clear Tripoli out of terrorism.

Spokesman for the LNA, General Ahmed al-Mismari, issued a statement saying the Libyan army has thousands of documents proving that Tripoli has become a center for militias affiliated with al-Qaeda and the Muslim Brotherhood.

The statement said the Libyan army is carefully watching over the Libyan airspace and land to trace any potential threat or aggression.

Armed militias stormed into houses in the city of El Azizia in northern Libya and forces its residents to leave, or become target practice, forcing around five thousand families to evacuate their homes.

Moreover, Al-Wefaq-affiliated militias forced dozens of children to engage in armed conflicts against the national army. These militias also kidnapped, tortured and killed a number of citizens who showed support to the national army.

The Houthis are responsible for the disappearance of more than 3,500 people in four years, according to a report by the Yemeni Coalition for Monitoring Human Rights Violations.

The arrests of 3,544 people were carried out across Yemen between September, 2014 and December 2018, Saudi state news agency SPA reported.

Those who have disappeared include 64 children, 15 women and 72 elderly people.

Researcher Abdel Sattar Hetita, an expert on Libyan affairs, told The Reference that these armed militias, which are receiving support from Turkey and Qatar, commit numerous crimes and violations against civilians in Yemen.

He further added that Al-Wefaq militias in Libya have no full authority, therefore they coordinate with the Muslim Brotherhood to carry out the devious scheme to keep Libya under the control of terrorist groups, pointing out that the official sponsor of the kidnappings and abuses is Turkey and Doha who provide financial and logistical support to these groups.