...a confusing city, one end of which is located in Lebanon and the other end of which is the capital of Libya. Its chief distinction is being mentioned in the Marine Hymn...
-based Government of National Accord has attacked the Libyan embassy in the Belarusian capital of Minsk in the early hours of Thursday, Libyan Charge d’Affairs Mohammed Astete said.
"We were attacked by a group of around 30 people affiliated with the Libyan Government of National Accord", Astete said.
The embassy has pictures that prove this information, he noted, adding that he was personally assaulted. As of now, the diplomatic staff is inside the building, while the attackers still remain on the embassy’s territory.
"We have contacted the Libyan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the situation was coordinated", Astete said.
A video, allegedly captured by the embassy’s CCTV shows people infiltrating the facility.
According to the diplomat, the Libyan officials were also in touch with the Belarusian Foreign Ministry, but the local law enforcement agencies did not take any measures on the matter. Astete also stated that the attackers were of Belarusian nationality.
The Libyan Embassy represents the GNA’s rival power — the eastern-based parliament, which is supported by the Libyan National Army led by Field Marshal 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, so it's kind of hard to describe him as a Qadaffy holdover. 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. Actually, he is, but slowly.... His forces are fighting against the UN-backed Government of National Accord in the west, headed by Fayez Sarraj.