Libyan commander dismisses rivals' cease-fire as 'deception'

Haftar's refusal, however, could thwart international efforts to secure a lasting cease-fire and open the door for another destructive bout of fighting over Sirte, the gateway to Libya's major oil export terminals controlled by Haftar's forces. Aguila Saleh, the speaker of the eastern-based House of Representatives and a Hiftar ally, had said Friday he supported the demilitarization of Sirte, but did not mention Jurfa.

Forces loyal to Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar on Sunday dismissed a cease-fire proposal by the UN-supported government as a "deception," claiming that rival militias were preparing to attack the strategic city of Sirte. Ahmed al-Mosmari, a spokesman for Haftar's forces, told a televised news conference that the proposal "represents nothing but throwing dust in eyes and deceiving the local and international public." "This initiative is meant to cover up their true intentions in Libya," he said, referring to Turkey and Qatar, the main backers of the UN-supported government in the capital, Tripoli. Haftar's forces are allied with the rival parliament in eastern Libya.

Oil-rich Libya was plunged into chaos when a NATO-backed uprising in 2011 toppled longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi, who was later killed. The country later split between rival east- and west-based administrations, each backed by armed groups and foreign governments. Fayez Sarraj, head of the Tripoli government, on Friday announced a cease-fire and called for demilitarizing Sirte and the nearby Jufra area, which would mean the withdrawal of Haftar's forces.

The cease-fire proposal, which came after international pressure, was seen as a breakthrough amid rising fears of a new escalation in the chaotic proxy war, as rival sides mobilize for a battle over Sirte. Haftar's refusal, however, could thwart international efforts to secure a lasting cease-fire and open the door for another destructive bout of fighting over Sirte, the gateway to Libya's major oil export terminals controlled by Haftar's forces.

Aguila Saleh, the speaker of the eastern-based House of Representatives and a Haftar ally, had said Friday he supported the demilitarization of Sirte, but did not mention Jurfa. He called for Sirte to be a temporary seat of the new government. Al-Mosmari, the Haftar spokesman, on Sunday said any cease-fire requires Turkish-backed forces to pull back from the front line "to provide room for negotiations and a political solution." He said Tripoli-allied militias, backed by Turkish warships, were building up to launch an attack on Sirte.

He did not comment on Saleh's cease-fire proposal.