Libyan Interior Ministry Threatens Rival Militias

Demands All Factions Disarm or Join NTC

With a growing number of rival militias operating independently from the National Transitional Council and even trying to exert autonomy within regions of Libya, the NTC Interior Ministry has issued a stark warning to those who continue to doubt their faction’s supreme rule.

There is no excuse for you to carry out security functions inside Libya,” Interior Minister Abdel A’al warned, saying that they would face the “lions” of the new police recruits for the NTC regime.

“There should not be any more militias after this day. They should all stop,” he added. “Those who still do not have confidence in the Interior Ministry or the government, we tell them our answer will not be through statements.”

The comments come just days after the NTC’s ruler warned that he intends to unite the country “by force” in response to an effort to turn Benghazi into a semi-autonomous region. Several militias have endorsed the autonomy efforts.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.