Libyan government calls Benghazi clashes a coup
(VOVworld) – The Libyan Prime Minister, Parliament Speaker, and Chief of Staff of the armed forces have issued a joint statement to denounce violence in Benghazi. The statement said clashes on May 16, which killed at least 79 people and wounded 141 others, was a coup by retired general Khalifa Haftar for his personal purpose. The statement said Khalifa’s forces were illegal and called on all parties to practice restraint and Benghazi people to stay away from the coup forces.
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| Dozens of people were killed in Benghazi on Friday in some of the the worst fighting in the city for months |
The Libyan interim government on May 17 established a no-fly zone in Benghazi and adjacent areas to prevent general Khalifa’s forces. Khalifar was accused of using the government aircraft and soldiers to attack Islamic terrorists without permission from the central government. The incident occurred a few weeks after Tripoli admitted the existence of terrorist groups in its territory.