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Libya: Return of the Strongman

Is General Khalifa Haftar Libya's best chance for stability or a threat to a free and democratic future?

Six years ago this week the brutal repression of a protest in Libya's second city of Benghazi inspired a revolution that led to the fall of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi. Today the country is preyed on by more than 1500 militias. Different governments rule in the west around Tripoli and in the east from Tobruk.

Now some international powers are considering abandoning the ineffectual UN-led attempts to find political solutions and instead are turning once again to a Libyan military leader to seize control. General Khalifa Haftar commander of a powerful militia, the Libyan National Army, is seen by his supporters as the only man to restore stability to the country. But his critics argue that the last thing Libya needs is a return to the rule of a strongman.

(Photo: General Khalifa Haftar, commander of the Libyan National Army. Credit: Getty Images)

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50 minutes

Last on

Sat 18 Feb 2017 04:06GMT
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service except Australasia & News Internet

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Contributors

Martin Kobler, head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya

Mary Fitzgerald - Irish journalist and commentator on Libya

Abdul Rahman AlAgeli - now based at the War Studies Dept at King's College London and a fellow a the Atlantic Council. In 2011, he participated in the revolution, joined the Transitional Government and was a security advisor in the Office of the Libyan Prime Minister until 2014.

Rana Jawad -Μύthe Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ's North Africa correspondent based in Tunis

Also taking part:

Crispin Blunt - chair of the UK parliament's foreign affairs select committee

Faraj Najem - an academic at the Centre for African Studies in Benghazi and a supporter of General Haftar.

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Broadcasts

  • Fri 17 Feb 2017 09:06GMT
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service except Americas and the Caribbean & News Internet
  • Fri 17 Feb 2017 12:06GMT
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service Americas and the Caribbean
  • Fri 17 Feb 2017 23:06GMT
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service except News Internet
  • Sat 18 Feb 2017 04:06GMT
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service except Australasia & News Internet

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