Nigerien Rebel Movement Refutes Reports on Leader’s Release from Libya

The Coordination of Free Forces in Niger has denied reports about the release of Mahmoud Salah, leader of the National Liberation Front, who remains detained in Libya. Allegations of his release by Khalifa Haftar were contradicted by the rebel group, along with growing relations between Niger and Libyan forces.

The Coordination of Free Forces in Niger, a rebel faction, has officially denied any claims regarding the release of Mahmoud Salah, the leader of the National Liberation Front. Salah was apprehended on February 23 in Al-Gatroon, Libya, and remains imprisoned under the authority of Khalifa Haftar’s forces in Benghazi, as reported by the Senegalese outlet Sud Quotidien.

Earlier reports from the Italian news agency Nova had claimed, based on unnamed Libyan sources, that Khalifa Haftar released Mahmoud Salah. Notably, during a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace on February 26, it was allegedly requested that Haftar retain Salah instead of surrendering him to the presently deemed illegitimate military council in Niamey, following the coup that ousted President Mohamed Bazoum on July 26, 2023.

The relations between Niger’s military governance and Khalifa Haftar have seen notable strengthening in recent months. This was highlighted by the visit of Nigerien Interior Minister Mohamed Boubacar Toumba to Benghazi last August, which led to the revival of existing bilateral security agreements. Previously, Haftar had dispatched his son, Saddam, to serve as a special envoy to Niger’s transitional president, General Abdourahmane Tchiani, in September.

Furthermore, Libya’s Chief of General Staff, Lieutenant General Mohamed Al-Haddad, visited Niamey to solidify cooperative efforts with Nigerien authorities aimed at addressing armed groups operating along their mutual borders.

In summary, the Coordination of Free Forces in Niger has refuted claims regarding the release of Mahmoud Salah, who remains in custody under Haftar’s forces. Recent diplomatic interactions between Niger and Libya indicate an increasing collaboration focused on security and combating armed groups, amidst the backdrop of ongoing political instability in Niger following the July coup.

Original Source: libyaobserver.ly