Libya’s National Transitional Council has reportedly recognized the “Warfallah Elders Council,” (WEC) a tribal faction, as the rightful government of the town of Bani Walid, following meetings between the WEC leadership and the Defense Minister
“We told him we want to keep the whole country peaceful and that national unity was a priority,” insisted WEC member Salah al-Maayuf. The WEC chased pro-NTC militia forces out of Bani Walid earlier this week, with officials at the time claiming they were “Gadhafi loyalists.”
The exact agenda of the WEC is unclear, but they apparently were the ones who raised the green flag of Gadhafi’s Libya over the town after the battles earlier this week. The Warfallah tribe represents a large portion of the town’s population, and apparently objected to the occupying militia.
Bani Walid was one of the last towns captured by the NTC, and it was overrun by militias in the wake of multiple NATO air strikes. The weeks of siege leading to the occupation of Bani Walid were particularly ugly, and it is unsurprising that the locals, represented by WEC, weren’t keen to continue hosting those who starved and bombed them.
This is very good news. If the Libyans can reestablish this precedent (Jamahiriya) slowly and cautiously enough so that the frog doesn't see a jump out point and restart of the bombing and the Emperors henchmen stay weak from bleeding each other, the Libyans are on their way to winning their country back.