Sarraj pledges to ensure security of Turkish abductees

Sources close to Libya’s Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar said that surprises are heading towards Tripoli. The announcement comes at a time the military official also gave a warning on intervening in the political process should current peace efforts led by the United Nations fail.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the Presidential Council of Libya Fayez al-Sarraj told Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım that his government is concerned with the fate of the three Turkish technicians kidnapped in Libya.

Sarraj explained that his government has mobilized in the region to free the abductees.

He also praised Turkey's decision to reopen the Turkish embassy in the capital Tripoli.

On the other hand, militants close to the army's leadership said that battalions and militias in Tripoli would announce their allegiance to Haftar from inside the capital, in a way that would change the balance of military force on the ground inside the city.

Haftar’s media offices re-ran footage from a speech given by the field marshal in which he affirmed the sovereignty and freedom of the homeland, pledging that "we will safeguard this secretariat with all our energy and capabilities."

But the United Nations mission and Western governments, in support of the national reconciliation government led by Sarraj, ruled out in return a military solution to the Libyan crisis.

The international community stresses on backing and instating the Skhirat political agreement until presidential and legislative elections are held next year.

On the other hand, violent clashes took place near the international airport in Tripoli, where an airport official told Asharq Al-Awsat that air travel activity was halted for at least two hours before resuming.

The clashes took place in the vicinity of the airport but not inside, the official said.

On different matters, European and African officials announced a plan to speed up extradition of migrants held in government detention centers in Libya, but did not give an exact timeframe.

On the other hand, The commander of the self-styled army in eastern Libya, Khalifa Haftar agreed with the Italian Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano that nothing can replace elections for a better future for Libya, according to Italy's news agency Aki.

Both Haftar and Alfano came to terms Monday in Rome regarding the fact that the upcoming December 17 is the anniversary and not the end of the Libyan Political Agreement signed in Morocco's Skhirat two years ago.

In contradiction to their idol's statements, Haftar's loyalists stormed several polling locations in eastern Libya and tore up the polling registration numbers of each electoral division they encountered, pronouncing Haftar as the sole military leader of Libya without going to elections.

"Election will be held in Libya. It is a train that has a destination but the question is how fast the train will go, meaning how soon the elections will be held in accordance with the UNSMIL's Head plan that sets September 2018 as the final completion date." Alfano said, according to the sources cited by Aki.

Alfano and Haftar also agreed to support Ghassan Salame's efforts, with Haftar wanting the Italian FM to hail his forces' role in defending Libyans against "terrorism" and his own role as a leader amid the current thought-shattered and inactive politicians.

Haftar's visit to Rome is the second as he was there last September meeting several Italian officials including Italy's Defense Minister Roberta Penotti, the Interior Minister Marco Minetti and the Chief of Staff Claudio Graziano.

Haftar - contradictory to his talks with Alfano - announced earlier that the LPA ends on December 17 and afterwards, his forces will take control of the country putting an end to all agreements and their subsequent political bodies; on the condition those bodies would have failed to reach a conclusive solution to Libya's crisis.