Khalifa Haftar resumes position of Commander in chief of rival Libyan army

Khalifa Haftar, the strongman of the Libyan eastern region, has resumed his position as general commander of the Libyan National Army (LNA); an army opposed to the UN-backed Government of National Unity headquartered in capital Tripoli.

Update Libya, citing an informed source, said Haftar has returned to his post after stepping down temporarily in September as part of plans to run for failed Dec. 24 presidential elections.

He then appointed Chief of General Staff Abdelrazik Al-Nathori to replace him from September 24 to December 24.

Libya’s House of Representative (HOR), in preparation for the elections, passed a presidential election law which allows political and military positions’ occupants to run for elections if they left their jobs three months prior to December 24.

If they fail to be elected, they can return to their jobs and get their three months’ salaries.