Al-Mahdi Al-Barghathi
Minister of Defense
In office
5 January 2016 – 29 July 2018
suspended: 1 May 2017 – 28 July 2018
Prime MinisterFayez al-Sarraj
Preceded byAbdullah al-Thani (General National Congress)
Succeeded byFayez al-Sarraj
Personal details
BornBenghazi, Libya
Military service
Allegiance Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
 Libya (House of Representatives)
 Libya (GNA)
Branch/serviceLibyan National Army (former)
Libyan Ground Forces
RankColonel
Commands204 Tank Brigade
Libyan National Army
Battles/warsLibyan Civil War

Second Libyan Civil War

Al-Mahdi Al-Barghathi is a Libyan National Army officer who served as the Minister of Defense in the Libyan Government of National Accord, from January 2016 until July 2018. He is an army commander from eastern Libya who had formerly served under General Khalifa Haftar during the Second Libyan Civil War before joining the internationally-recognised unity government.[1][2]

Biography

Al-Barghathi was born in Benghazi and fought in the Libyan Civil War against the forces of Muammar Qaddafi, being among the first officers to join the rebels. In 2014 he joined General Khalifa Haftar's Operation Dignity against the Islamists in the General National Congress and commanded the 204 Tank Brigade. He reportedly became a popular officer in the Libyan armed forces for personally fighting on the front line with the troops.[3]

Al-Barghathi's appointment as the minister of defense of the Government of National Accord in January 2016, formed with international support to reunify Libya, caused disagreements with Field Marshal Haftar. The general believes he is not fit for the role and opposes his appointment. Also, Al-Barghathi is an ally of Ibrahim Jadhran, leader of the Petroleum Facilities Guards and rival of Haftar. Al-Barghathi stated he remains loyal to the army as an institution and is determined to run it effectively.[3] The Libyan Air Force chief of staff under Haftar, Saqr Geroushi, said that al-Barghathi should be arrested for becoming the defense minister in the GNA without the commander-in-chief's permission.[4]

It was reported that he personally led Libyan unity government forces during the offensive to retake the city of Sirte from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.[5]

In March 2017, after Haftar's LNA seized control of the oil facilities in eastern Libya, Al-Barghathi was accused of supporting the Benghazi Defense Brigades that fought against the LNA. However, he denied this allegations.[6]

In May 2017, GNA Prime Minister Fayez Seraj announced that Al-Barghathi was suspended as defense minister after being suspected of involving in the Brak Al-Shati massacre.[7]

By December 2017 it appeared that he is no longer suspended and resumed his role as defense minister.[8] Early that month, he visited Libyan soldiers receiving medical treatment in neighboring Tunisia.[9]

In July 2018 he was removed from the office after disagreements with Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj.[10]

References

  1. ^ Fitzgerald, Mary. A quick guide to Libya's main players. European Council on Foreign Relations. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
  2. ^ Saleh, Heba. Libyan factions announce national unity government. Financial Times. 19 January 2016. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
  3. ^ a b Ayyub, Saber.Opposing reactions to appointment of unity government’s defence minister Archived August 18, 2016, at the Wayback Machine. Libya Herald. Published 21 January 2016. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
  4. ^ Al-Jroushi: Sirraj would be branded terrorist if he refuses Haftar, threatens to arrest Al-Barghathi. The Libya Observer. Published 17 April 2016. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
  5. ^ Norbrook, Nicholas. Libyan army gains ground against IS in Sirte. The African Report. Published 22 June 2016. Retrieved 30 June 2016.
  6. ^ East Libya Forces Prepare to Retake Key Oil Ports. Naharnet. Published 6 March 2017. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  7. ^ "Death toll rises in southern Libya attack, defence minister suspended". Economic Times. 20 May 2017.
  8. ^ Administrative Control Authority clears Defence Minister Al- Barghathi of wrong doing. Libya Observer. Published 26 July 2018.
  9. ^ GNA defense ministry covers treatment expenses of the wounded in Benghazi war. Libyan Express. Published 2 December 2017. Retrieved 4 December 2017.
  10. ^ Libyan Presidential Council gives its Defense Minister the sack Archived 2019-04-22 at the Wayback Machine. Libya Observer. Published 29 July 2018. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
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