Libya 'not fully liberated' one year after Kadhafi death

Libya's de facto head of state Mohammed Megaryef said on Saturday that not all areas of the country have been liberated, in remarks on the first anniversary of Moamer Kadhafi's death.

Libya's de facto head of state Mohammed Megaryef said on Saturday that not all areas of the country have been liberated, in remarks on the first anniversary of Moamer Kadhafi's death.

"The campaign to liberate the country has not been fully completed," Megaryef, the head of Libya's powerful national assembly, said on state television.

He singled out the town of Bani Walid, scene of deadly clashes in recent days, and one of the final strongholds of Kadhafi's dictatorial regime during the 2011 revolution that ousted and killed him.

Megaryef, the president of the democratically elected General National Congress, gave a sombre assessment of the post-Kadhafi period.

He noted in particular "delays and negligence" in the formation of a professional army and police force, and the failure to disarm and integrate former rebels.

He also noted that delays in reactivating and reforming the judiciary had hampered national reconciliation.

"This situation has created a state of discontent and tension among different segments of society and contributed to the spread of chaos, disorder, corruption and weakness in the performance of various government agencies," said Megaryef.

The assessment comes one year after rebel fighters captured Kadhafi in his hometown Sirte. Exactly how Kadhafi was killed on October 20, 2011 remains a point of contention.

Other news