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Minister warns of Libya's division

Al-Monitor interviewed the Libyan undersecretary of the Information Ministry, Haitham al-Hadi Kamouka, who talked about some countries’ attempts to divide Libya into three states.
Libyans celebrate the fourth anniversary of the revolution against Muammar Gaddafi at Martyrs' Square in Tripoli, February 17, 2015. REUTERS/Ismail Zitouny (LIBYA - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST ANNIVERSARY) - RTR4PZQO
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BEIRUT — Haitham al-Hadi Kamouka, the Libyan Information Ministry undersecretary — that is, the minister of the governing entity in Tripoli, Libya — visited Beirut on May 12-16 to meet with Lebanese officials. He came to convey his government’s view of the ongoing conflict in Libya. While here, he also issued a call to reporters to visit Tripoli. Al-Monitor met the minister to discuss the current situation and obtain some background on the major crises plaguing his country, many of whose citizens feel neglected, for more than four years now, after the revolution they and the world believed to be a success.

Kamouka explained that among the competing political actors, the National Salvation Government — which holds northwestern Libya, and of particular importance Tripoli Province, site of the capital — controls the largest amount of Libyan territory. Another force controls Cyrenaica in the east, including its capital, Benghazi, while in the south armed tribal forces, most prominently the Saif al-Nasr (historically known to cooperate with the French), control the Fezzan and its capital, Sabha.

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