The EU diplomat, who preferred not to be named, told the London-based online news portal that Haftar is "unable to talk or even fully comprehend."
"Haftar is suffering from lung cancer, which has spread to his brain," the diplomat further explained, adding that "the doctor treating him says that even if he responds partially to treatment, it will be temporarily and he will never be normal again."
On Friday evening, news surfaced online claiming Haftar was dead. The UN envoy to Libya Ghassan Salame telephoned a local news TV shortly and said he had conducted a 10-minute telephone call with Haftar and discussed with him the political process, in what appeared to be an attempt to refute Haftar’s death rumors.
The EU diplomat told the MEE that Salame was under pressure by Italia, La Belle France and the UAE to confirm that Haftar is alive.
Meanwhile,
...back at the abandoned silver mine, the water was up to Jack's neck and still rising. And then he smelled the smoke...
Radio La Belle France Internationale quoted La Belle France's foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian as saying on Wednesday that "Khalifa Haftar
...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...is in a military hospital in Gay Paree and he is doing better now."