Saddam Haftar
Saddam Haftar | |
|---|---|
 Haftar in 2024 | |
| Native name | صدام حفتر |
| Born | 1991 (age 32–33) Benghazi, Libya |
| Allegiance |  State of Libya (House of Representatives) |
| Years of service | 2016–present |
| Rank | Brigadier General |
| Commands | 106th Brigade Tariq Ben Zeyad Brigade |
| Battles / wars | |
Saddam Haftar (Arabic: صدام حفتر; born 1991) is a Libyan military officer and politician, and the son of Libyan warlord, Khalifa Haftar. He is the commander of the Tariq Ben Zeyad Brigade[1] and holds several other high positions in his father's Libyan National Arab Army. He frequently travels abroad to make diplomatic visits to Arab and foreign countries[2] and has been seen as the likely successor to his father.[3][4]
Early life
[edit]Saddam Haftar was born in Benghazi, Libya in 1991, the youngest of seven children of Libyan politician Khalifa Haftar.[5][6] His mother raised Haftar and his brothers in Benghazi while his father lived in exile in the United States during the rule of Muammar Gaddafi.[6] Not much is known about Haftar's upbringings, and he has no known secondary school qualifications.[5][7] He is named after the former president of Iraq Saddam Hussein.[8][9][6]
Military career
[edit]He has been commander of the Tariq Ben Zeyad Brigade since its emergence in 2016, which has been accused of crushing any opposition to his father's Libyan Arab Armed Forces[1] and of terrorizing people by committing "unlawful killings, torture and other ill-treatment, enforced disappearance, rape and other sexual violence, and forced displacement — with no fear of consequences".[10] He established the 106th Brigade as a praetorian guard to protect his father and keep tribal militias under LAAF control,[11] and with this he succeeded in recapturing Benghazi in December 2017.[2] In December 2016, Saddam Haftar appeared at a military ceremony in Jordan during the graduation of the students of the Military College, wearing a military uniform. He was granted the ranks of Major and then Lieutenant-Colonel in an exceptional promotion granted to him by the Speaker of the Libyan Parliament, Aguila Saleh. Shortly thereafter, Saddam Haftar was promoted to the rank of Colonel, surpassing Gaddafi himself.[12]
In December 2022, Saddam's Tariq Ben Zeyad Brigade was accused by the Amnesty International of "committing war crimes".[1][13]
By May 2023 he held the rank of Brigadier-General.[14]
Finance
[edit]Saddam Haftar was injured during clashes in Tripoli in 2012 following a failed attempt to control the Aman bank.[2] Immediately after he recaptured Benghazi in December 2017, Saddam ordered his men to transfer about 160 million Euros, 639 million Libyan dinars, two million US dollars and 6,000 silver coins from the Central Bank branch in Benghazi to an unknown destination,[2] which has been described as "one of the largest bank heists in history".[11] In December 2022, Saddam Haftar attempted to seize control of banking institutions in Cyrenaica.[15]
Saddam's strong control over eastern Libya's banking sector would allow him to finance his forces, equipment and operations.[15]
Politics
[edit]On 1 November 2021, Saddam Haftar reportedly visited Tel Aviv for a secret meeting with Israeli officials, allegedly seeking to establish diplomatic relations in return for Israeli "military and diplomatic assistance".[16] It is unknown whom he met there, and Libya and Israel currently have no diplomatic relations.[17][18] Later that same month, Saddam Haftar allegedly guaranteed the safety of Saif al-Islam Gaddafi and Bashir Saleh to register themselves as president candidates in Sabha. Ten days later, the Tariq Ben Zeyad Brigade, led by Saddam and Khalid, stormed the courthouse in Sabha to prevent judges from hearing Saif al-Islam Gaddafi's appeal to participate in the presidential election. The gunmen used arms against the staffers and judges and then kicked them out.[19] In January 2023, Khalifa Haftar pledged to withdraw from the Libyan presidential election on the condition that his sons Saddam and Belqasim are allowed to run.[20] Saddam Haftar is seen as the heir apparent of Khalifa Haftar.[4]
Arrest warrant
[edit]In August 2024, Spain issued an arrest warrant for Saddam Haftar while he was returning to Libya from Italy, alleging that he was involved in smuggling a shipment of weapons, destined for the United Arab Emirates, that was intercepted by Spanish police several months earlier. Various American oligarchs began pressuring Spain to nullify its arrest warrant for Saddam Haftar.[21] Saddam Haftar was reportedly detained for questioning at an airport in Naples for an hour after his name appeared on a common EU database.[22]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Assad, Abdulkader. "Amnesty International: Saddam Haftar-led Tariq bin Ziyad militia are responsible for catalogue horrors in Libya". The Libya Observer.
- ^ a b c d العربي, محمد (11 November 2022). "صدام حفتر.. نجل الجنرال الليبي الذي يطمح إلى خلافة القذافي". Al Jazeera (in Arabic).
- ^ "Russian media: Haftar may transfer his powers to his son Saddam | The Libya Observer". libyaobserver.ly. Retrieved 2023-02-10.
- ^ a b El Hasse, Khalil (21 October 2021). "Will Haftar's Heir Be an Ally of the Russians or the Americans?". The Washington Institute for Near East Policy.
- ^ a b Duchene, Armand (4 September 2023). "Libya: 10 things you need to know about Saddam Haftar". The Africa Report. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
- ^ a b c Uddin, Rayhan (19 September 2023). "Libya floods: Elseddik and Saddam Haftar, the brothers vying for power after disaster". Middle East Eye.
- ^ Jacinto, Leela (20 September 2023). "Haftar's sons rise in Libya's east, bringing 'corruption, death, destruction'". France 24. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
- ^ Campbell, Matthew (16 September 2023). "Gaddafi's 'spiritual son': the general blamed over flood catastrophe". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460.
- ^ "Khalifa Haftar will use Libya's floods to deepen his control". The Economist. 21 September 2023.
- ^ "Libya: Hold commanders of Tariq Ben Zeyad armed group accountable for 'catalogue of horrors'". Amnesty International. 2022-12-19. Retrieved 2023-02-10.
- ^ a b Ardemagni, Eleonora; Fasanotti, Federica Saini (2022-11-29). From Warlords to Statelords: Armed Groups and Power Trajectories in Libya and Yemen. Ledizioni. ISBN 978-88-5526-812-7.
- ^ العربي, محمد. "صدام حفتر.. نجل الجنرال الليبي الذي يطمح إلى خلافة القذافي". www.aljazeera.net (in Arabic). Retrieved 2023-02-10.
- ^ "Chadian militia attack on Libya may help Haftar". Emerald Expert Briefings. 28 December 2018. doi:10.1108/OXAN-ES240862. ISSN 2633-304X.
- ^ "Brigadier General Saddam Haftar leads LNA delegation to inspect oil fields amidst Sudanese conflict". The Libya Update. 4 May 2023.
- ^ a b Al-Harathy, Safa (17 December 2022). "Africa Intelligence: Saddam Haftar seeking to take over control of banks in eastern Libya". The Libya Observer.
- ^ "Son of Libyan warlord reported to visit Israel, offer ties in return for backing". The Times of Israel. 8 November 2021.
- ^ "Libya: Son of military commander Khalifa Haftar visited Israel". Middle East Eye. 7 November 2021.
- ^ "Libya warlord Haftar's son reportedly in Israel to seek military aid". TRT World.
- ^ Assad, Abdulkader (25 November 2021). "Pro-Haftar gunmen prevent Sabha court from looking into Saif Gaddafi's appeals". The Libya Observer.
- ^ "Haftar withdraws from Libya's upcoming presidential elections". Atalayar. Retrieved 2023-02-11.
- ^ "Saddam Haftar closes Sharara Oilfield over Spanish arrest warrant | The Libya Observer". libyaobserver.ly. 2024-08-18. Retrieved 2024-11-01.
- ^ Wintour, Patrick (2024-08-06). "Oilfield slowdown exposes political volatility in Libya and beyond". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-11-01.