Tripoli - Emad Agag
Abdul Jalil
Leaders of ideology-different militias formed to end the rule of the late Muammar Gaddafi, refuse to disband and lay down arms; they are battling for influence in the new Libya, believing
that "maintaining the armed presence in the capital, Tripoli, is to ensure access to their share of political power,” as Revealed by Mustafa Abdul Jalil, Chairman of the National Transitional Council.
In a people gathering in the city of Benghazi, Abdul Jalil said that, “there are two options, either to deal with those clashes firmly and put the Libyans in an armed confrontation, which is not acceptable, or to leave them divided, which will lead to a civil war. In the absence of security, law will not prevail, there will be no development, we will not hold elections, and people will claim their rights with their own hands.”
The Libyan leader admits that, "progress is going very slowly in forming the national army. Security is non-existent because fighters have not surrendered their weapons, despite the opportunities available to them through local councils. Fighters are still sticking to their guns, and I have to warn of the country sliding into a civil war, after the outbreak of the recent violence in the capital Tripoli, if rival militias are not controlled,” He explained, “A gun battle erupted between militias in the most crowded street of Tripoli, killing four fighters. Two months after detention of anti-Gaddafi combatants, Transition still struggles to have control over rival warlords, who refuse to relinquish control of their fighters and hand over their weapons. "
It is noteworthy that the Libyan Transitional Council has taken steps to form a whole army, and a police force to keep security in Libya