World Bulletin / News Desk

Chief of Staff of the Libyan Air Defense Force Brigadier Jomaa al-Abani also announced his support for an offensive launched by forces loyal to renegade army general Khalifa Haftar against militias – some of which affiliated with the army - in the eastern Benghazi city.

Al-Abani called on the rest of the Libyan Air Defense Force troops to follow suit, in a televised speech which was broadcast in the early hours of Wednesday.

"I am with the Libyan people against all types of terrorism," al-Abani said.

A source from the military judiciary told Anadolu Agency earlier that al-Abani is wanted by the Libyan military prosecution for alleged involvement in arranging meetings for military officers without the knowledge of the army leadership.

Libya's acting interior minister, Saleh Mazeg, said on Wednesday his ministry stood with "the Libyan people", not with renegade General Khalifa Haftar.

Mazeg, speaking on the local television station al-Nabaa, said a ministry statement carried by earlier by the state news agency LANA saying the ministry had joined Haftar was wrong.

Forces loyal to Haftar have taken up arms against militia groups that now serve as part of Libya's regular army in the eastern city of Benghazi.

Dubbing his campaign "Operation Dignity," Haftar said the operation aimed to "purge" Benghazi of "rogue militias."

The fighting, which flared up on Friday, has left 75 people dead and 141 injured.

On Sunday, militants said to be loyal to Haftar attacked parliament headquarters in capital Tripoli and kidnapped several lawmakers.

Libyan authorities have struggled to restore law and order since 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.

Ex-Libyan PM supports renegade general

Former Libyan Prime Minister Ali Zeidan on Tuesday threw his weight behind renegade army general Khalifa Haftar, whose forces are currently engaged in deadly fighting with militias incorporated into Libya's regular army.

Speaking to a private Libyan channel, Zeidan called on all Libyan officers "to join their colleagues in Operation Dignity" and to support the "army's war on terrorism" in the eastern city of Benghazi.

The announcement came one day after the commander of Libyan Special Forces – along with the army and security forces in the eastern city of Tobruk – also declared his support for Haftar's forces.

Benghazi security HQ pledges allegiance to Haftar

The National Security Directorate in Libya's eastern city of Benghazi on Tuesday decided to join renegade army general Khalifa Haftar, whose forces are currently engaged in deadly fighting with militias incorporated into Libya's regular army.

In a statement, Security Directorate personnel said that they had decided to side with with Haftar.

The announcement came one day after the commander of Libyan Special Forces – along with the army and security forces in the eastern city of Tobruk – also declared his support for Haftar's forces.

Forces loyal to Haftar have taken up arms against militia groups that now serve as part of Libya's regular army in the eastern city of Benghazi.

Dubbing his campaign "Libya's Dignity," Haftar said the operation aimed to "purge" Benghazi of "rogue militias."

Libyan authorities have struggled to restore law and order since 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.