Libyan military commanders were appointed Tuesday to take control of two influential and powerful militias in an effort to bolster security.
Just two days ago, the Libyan government announced an ultimatum that all nongovernment-sanctioned militias must lay down their arms. This announcement came in the wake of mass protests in Benghazi against an Islamist militia that was accused of killing U.S. Ambassador to Libya J. Christopher Stevens and three other Americans.
The Benghazi-based Feb. 17 Brigade’s Fawzi Bukatif and the militia Rafallah al-Sahati’s Ismail al-Salabi were replaced by Libyan army colonels, according to Reuters. Another militia, Libya’s Shield, will also change leaders.
Army Col. Salah Buhlaiga, who led the negotiations between the militia and the government, said, “We have done it successfully,” the news wire service reported. “We have taken command of those two big militias.”
On Tuesday, Libya’s newly formed National Mobile Force started carrying out nonviolent raids on several rogue militias that refused to comply with the government’s demands, CNN reported. A spokesman told the network the operation has gone relatively smoothly so far.
Most militias operating in regions throughout Libya fought in last year’s civil war that removed longtime leader Moammar Gadhafi from power. After Gadhafi’s downfall, the militias filled the security gap, however many have been accused of rights abuses and of operating outside of Libyan law.
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