Muslim Brotherhood Chief Urges Libya Dialogue

Libya's Muslim Brotherhood General Supervisor Bashir al-Kabti has called for dialogue to resolve the current crisis in the North African country.



"We believe that all parties should sit down to the table and engage in talks," al-Kabti told Anadolu Agency in an exclusive dialogue by phone on Tuesday.



Fears have grown that Libya is descending into a civil war after renegade army general Khalifa Haftar took up arms against militia groups that now serve as part of Libya's regular army.



Dubbing his campaign "Operation Dignity," Haftar told the London-based Al-Sharq al-Awsat daily that his operation aimed to "purge" Libya of "extremists and the Muslim Brotherhood".



But al-Kabti described the statements as "an attempt to win support from regional and foreign parties".



"We are part of the Libyan people," the Muslim Brotherhood leader said.



"Haftar is talking about a group that has been the victim of violence and terrorism," he said.



The renegade general has been gaining support in Libya amid announcement by several parties of joining Haftar's forces.



On Monday, the commander of Libyan Special Forces – along with the army and security forces in the eastern city of Tobruk – declared his support for Haftar's forces.



But al-Kabti described the announcements as a "a coup that will not succeed".



The Muslim Brotherhood leader rejected calls for the deployment of foreign forces into Libya.



"Interference in the Libyan affairs is unacceptable," he said. "We also refuse to turn Libya into a source of troubles for Egypt or other countries."



Libyan authorities have struggled to restore law and order since Muammar Gaddafi's ouster and death in 2011 amid the continued refusal of armed militias – which helped overthrow the late leader – to give up their weapons.



By Hussein Qabani



englishnews@aa.com.tr - Kahire