General Ahmad al-Mesmari is the spokesperson for Marshal Khalifa Haftar. - NEW CHINA / SIPA

On the occasion of the Ramadan fasting month which began on April 24 in Libya, Marshal Khalifa Haftar, the strongman of the east of the country, announced on the night of Wednesday to Thursday "the cessation of military operations "

His rival, the UN-recognized Government of National Unity (GNA), has yet to respond to the announcement. "The general command (of the pro-Haftar forces) announces the cessation of military operations on its side," said his spokesman Ahmad al-Mesmari who was reading a statement in Benghazi (east).

Marshal Haftar in difficulty in recent weeks

Explosions continued to be heard from the center of the capital after the announcement, according to journalists on the spot. The truce was accepted in "response to calls from friendly countries," said Ahmad al-Mesmari. However, he warned that "the response will be very harsh and immediate in the event of a violation" of the other side.

The United Nations, the European Union and several other countries called a truce a week ago during the month of Ramadan. Khalifa Haftar has been waging an offensive for over a year to seize the capital Tripoli, seat of the Government of National Unity (GNA) recognized by the UN. The announcement of this umpteenth truce comes after several setbacks suffered by Marshal Haftar in recent weeks.

Khalifa Haftar accused of wanting to establish a new dictatorship

Armed with Turkish support, the GNA forces took over two strategic cities from the west two weeks ago and surround Tarhouna, the marshal's most important rear base, some 50 km south-east of Tripoli. Since the start of Marshal Haftar's offensive against Tripoli, several truces have been decreed but they have only been relatively respected, the two camps accusing each other of violations.

Khalifa Haftar is accused by his detractors of wanting to establish a new military dictatorship in Libya almost a decade after the fall of the regime of Muammar Gaddafi. On Monday, he said he had obtained the "people's mandate" to govern Libya. This announcement, which has so far been unsuccessful, had been denounced by the GNA as a "farce" and a "new coup" by its rival.

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