Well, it is not surprising that it would come to this (another attempted anti-GNC) coup as there is a constant and increasing polarization of Libya's political factions into opposing camps. And no one can agree on what constitutes legitimate parliamentary practice -- so much so that Libya does not have an agreed upon Prime Minister at present. That Khiftar has linked up with the Zintanis who form something of his Western extension is exactly what we would expect given the alliance network that has formed against the Misratans and Islamists throughout the country. For those of you interested in reading about the background to the current events and getting a sense of who the different players are please consult the militia mapping I conducted with my colleagues Karim Mezran and Mohamed Eljarh in a recently published Atlantic Council report, “Libya’s Faustian Bargains: Breaking the Appeasement Cycle”. For a quick primer about what is happening right now, the Libya Herald is as always about the best English language source available. It is clear that many in the Libyan populace support any actions to repress the Islamist extremists they see in their midst and crave a Sisi-like figure, yet is is unclear to even seasoned Libya observers if 'the populace' will support the crudeness with which this anti-Islamist putsch has been undertaken. Moreover, talking to friends in Libya, I have heard that the public relations campaign undertaken on behalf of the Putschists has been very weak and unconvincing indeed. Will Misrata sit idly by while their candidate Matig and their grip on the GNC is undone? Will they attempt to negotiate and then resort to violence? Allahu 'Alam (God only knows) What seems clear is that a grand bargain is now needed between Libya's myriad actors and compromise and long-term thinking must be the order of the day or the future of the country and the transition will already be lost. Below is the quick Libya Herald article to catch you up to speed.
A group of five officers identifying themselves as the “Leaders of the Libyan Army” have announced the suspension the General National Congress (GNC) and that the current government is to remain in office. In a four-point plan laid out by Colonel Muktar Fernana, a Zintani former head of military intelligence, the “Leaders of the Libyan Army” this evening announced that the Constitutional Assembly would take over the work of the GNC and that Abdullah Al-Thinni’s current government would oversee the formation of the military and security forces. The statement essentially blocked the premiership of Ahmed Maetig who was elected by the GNC at the beginning of this month. Congress was supposed to vote and accept Maetig’s new government today before the attacks on the GNC building began. It is not clear if the five were linked to the assault on Congress, undertaken by the Qaaqaa and Sawaiq brigades, or to Colonel Khalifa Hafter, whose forces also call themselves the “Libyan National Army “. The two brigades have stated that they are not under Hafter’s orders. Fernana’s statement concluded that the people of Libya “would never accept to be controlled by a group or organisation which initiates terror and chaos”.