Smoke rises over the parliament area after troops of Gen. Khalifa Hifter targeted Islamist lawmakers and officials at the parliament today in Tripoli in this image made from video provided by the Libyan national army via AP Television.TRIPOLI, Libya – A group led by a renegade Libyan general said Sunday it suspended parliament after launching an attack against the legislative body.
Gen. Mokhtar Farnana, speaking on a Libyan television channel, said a group led by Gen. Khalifa Hifter had assigned a 60-member constituent’s assembly to take over for parliament.
Farnana said Libya’s current government would act on an emergency basis. He did not elaborate.
Farnana said forces loyal to Hifter carried out Sunday’s attack on parliament. He also said Sunday’s attack on Libya’s parliament was not a coup, but “fighting by the people’s choice.”
“We announce to the world that the country can’t be a breeding ground or an incubator for terrorism,” said Farnana, who wore a military uniform and stood in front of Libya’s flag.