...Self-proclaimed Field Marshal, served in the Libyan army under Muammar Qadaffy, and took part in the coup that brought Qadaffy to power in 1969. He became a prisoner of war in Chad in 1987. While held prisoner, he and his fellow officers formed a group hoping to overthrow Qadaffy. He was released around 1990 in a deal with the United States government and spent nearly two decades in the United States, gaining US citizenship. In 1993, while living in the United States, he was convicted in absentia of crimes against the Jamahiriya and sentenced to death. Haftar held a senior position in the anti-Qadaffy forces in the 2011 Libyan Civil War. In 2014 he was commander of the Libyan Army when the General National Congress (GNC) refused to give up power in accordance with its term of office. Haftar launched a campaign against the GNC and its Islamic fundamentalist allies. His campaign allowed elections to take place to replace the GNC, but then developed into a civil war. Guess you can't win them all...’s forces were killed and two others were maimed as the Derna Shura Council attacked Monday morning the Dignity Operation fighters at Kersa checkpoint in western Derna.
Two days ago, Haftar’s forces shelled the western entrance of Derna heavily and then on Monday morning, Derna Shura Council attacked Haftar’s forces and seized a tank as well as military vehicles with 14.5 and 23 anti-aircraft guns.
"Those military vehicles were used by Haftar’s forces to shell the western districts of Derna damaging the people’s properties." Derna Shura Council said.
Dignity Operation forces led by Haftar have been besieging the city for quite long and every now and then shell or bomb certain areas, leaving behind civilians’ deaths and injuries as well as damaged properties. On March 04, four civilians were maimed in Zintan neighborhood in Derna due to such shelling.
The forces led by Haftar also boosted their military presence around Derna and called on the civilians to lay down their weapons and stay away from "terrorists’ zones" in order to control the city, which is the last eastern city outside Haftar’s grip.
Meanwhile,
...back at the dirigible, the gondola was dangling by a single thread of rope.
Jack!Cynthia cried.
I just realized I'm afraid of heights! I don't even like high heels!...
despite all calls by international and local organizations to stop the siege on Derna and the military escalation there, Haftar’s forces continue to be deployed in preparation of advancing into the city’s neighborhoods.