Libyan PM vows crackdown on "brutal and unjust" militias

TRIPOLI, May 18 (Xinhua) -- Libyan Prime Minister Abdul-Hamid Dbeibah on Saturday vowed not to tolerate militias he called "brutal and unjust," and expressed his hope for a brighter future for Libya.

In a video speech, Dbeibah said militias have "expanded into all cities and villages" and now dominate Libya's "financial, economic, and even social landscape."

Some, he added, had "exploited their influence," overpowering the state, and fell into three groups: those who withdrew, those who joined state institutions, and those who "relied on blackmailing the state."

Referring to the May 12 Tripoli clashes that killed Abdel Ghani al-Kikli, also known as Ghaniwa, commander of the Stability Support Apparatus (SSA), Dbeibah said the operation was "carried out smoothly ... and is considered a successful operation ... despite some recent violations." He accused al-Kikli and the SSA of torture, illegal imprisonments, arbitrary arrests, and controlling six banks.

"My goal is a Libya without militias and corruption ... a state of law and institutions," he said.

Libya has remained divided since the 2011 North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)-backed uprising, with rival governments in Tripoli and the east. Armed factions still vie for control in Government of National Unity (GNU)-held areas despite disarmament efforts. Enditem