The Libyan National Army (ANL) led by Khalifa Haftar has surrounded since August 15, several districts of the city of Sirte, stronghold of the Gaddafi tribe. According to several human rights organizations, the main purpose of this deployment is to prevent the festivities planned for September 1, the anniversary date of the revolution led by Colonel Muammar Gaddafi against King Senoussi in 1969 .
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About thirty civilians were arrested by the ANL. Reason: to be a sympathizer of the old regime and to want to celebrate September 1st. Sometimes just because they had pictures of Gaddafi on their phone. The youngest of those arrested is only 12 years old, the oldest 80. Abdallah Issa was beaten and insulted before being apprehended.
The arrests were carried out by the Tarek bin Ziad brigade led by Saddam Haftar. The soldiers hunted down the youths in the streets of Sirte on the evening of September 1. Homes were searched without a search warrant and some had their homes destroyed for setting off fireworks.
Libyan human rights associations have denounced ” arbitrary arrests without legal basis “. The Social Council of the Gaddafi tribe demanded the release of its members arming themselves, as it states, ” wisdom and patience “. According to our information, election candidates close to Saif al-Islam Gaddafi were briefly arrested in Egypt (Haftar’s ally) before being released.
The closer the Libyan elections seem, the more a kind of silent war between Marshal Haftar and the Gaddafi intensifies. If the commemorations on the occasion of September 1 were repressed in Sirte, they took place in several other cities like Sebha, Bani Walid, or Tarhouna. A demonstration even took place in Tunisia.
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