Tripoli military chief says militias must pull out

Tripoli military chief says militias must pull out

The military commander of Tripoli and a key figure in the revolution that overthrew Muammar Gaddafi, Abdulhakim Belhadj, has called on other militias to pull their weapons out of Tripoli, accusing them of terrorising the city's population.

Co-operation to enhance security

The Tripoli Revolutionists Council said it was cooperating with Belhadj's group, but accused it of carrying out arbitrary raids in the capital.

"The sense of safety is turning into terror. All who care about the security and stability of Tripoli need to work with us to bring it back to place. We need to end the presence of heavy weapons and keep them from proliferating, except among authorized parties", Belhadj told reporters in the capital.

His deputy, Al-Mahdi Al-Harati, said there was no lawful alternative to his group's presence in Tripoli.

"Whoever doesn't recognise the legitimacy of the (military) council doesn't recognise the legitimacy of the national council", he said.

He also declined to respond to claims by the head of the other Tripoli group, led by militia commander Abdullah Ahmed Naker, that Belhadj's group lacked the numbers to control the capital.

Potential conflict

There have been rising concerns about potential conflict among armed groups that overthrew Muammar Gaddafi as they have demanded stakes in a future government.

Analysts say the competition for the title of top militia in Tripoli may stir concern and tensions among many armed groups, who are now exercising authority in the capital.

They said they fear the competition for power could turn violent.

US Republican Senator, John McCain had called on the NTC during a visit to Libya last week to move quickly to get the armed groups under their control.

The NTC has been struggling to form an interim government that includes representatives of various regions that have sent fighters to Tripoli.

REUTERS/Shakira/ Ekata