Libyan strongman Khalifa Haftar has been bolstered by a string of military victories
AFP: West Libya in strongman's sights after conquering east
After tightening his grip on eastern Libya, military strongman Khalifa Haftar now wants to extend his influence across the west where the UN-backed unity government is based, experts say.
One of the most powerful players in the Libyan conflict, the 75-year-old field marshal heads the self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA) allied with a rival authority in the east.
He has been bolstered by a string of military victories in eastern parts of the country, which has been wracked by chaos since the 2011 uprising that toppled and killed long-time dictator Moamer Kadhafi.
Barely a week after seizing key oil export terminals from a rival militia, his forces on Thursday announced the "liberation" of Derna, the last eastern city beyond his control, from radical Islamist militias.
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WNU Editor: Libyan strongman Khalifa Haftar's string of victories has caugh the attention of the West .... Washington, allies demand Libyan oil terminals be returned to UN-backed government (AFP).
