TRIPOLI
Egyptian army chief Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi called Libyan Prime Minister Ali Zeidan on Friday to assure him of Egypt's "limitless" support following reports of a military coup – later denied by Zeidan – in the North African country.
According to the Libyan government's official website, al-Sisi's call was meant to assess the situation in Libya following Libyan media reports of "military activity aimed at undermining [electoral] legitimacy."
Earlier Friday, former Libyan military commander Khalifa Haftar, appearing on television in military garb, declared that a group of army officers had seized control of several military sites in the country – allegations later denied by an army spokesman.
Following Haftar's declaration, Zeidan asserted in a televised address that "there is no military coup" taking place in Libya.
According to the government website, al-Sisi told Zeidan that Egypt strongly supported the Libyan government and would "not allow anyone to undermine Libya's security."
In response, Zeidan reportedly reassured al-Sisi of Libya's stability, stressing that Friday's announcement by the former general had been "a desperate attempt to hinder the Libyan people's quest for a free, democratic country through the peaceful rotation of power."
Libya has remained in political crisis since the interim General National Congress (GNC) voted to extend its mandate by one year. The GNC also extended by one year the country's transitional period, instated following the fall of Muammar Gaddafi in late 2011.
The twin term extensions have been met by anger on the part of many Libyans, who have called for protests aimed at pressuring parliament to reverse the move.
Al-Sisi is perceived as the driving force behind last July's ouster of Mohamed Morsi, Egypt's first freely elected president.
He is widely expected to soon announce his own presidential candidacy.
By Mohamed al-Nagem
englishnews@aa.com.tr
