Libyan joint operations forces on armed vehicles, from Tripoli's neighboring cities, rallied at the country's capital on Saturday to support Abdel Hamid Dbeibah's legitimacy as the head of the Libyan Government.
Joint forces patrol in Tripoli to defend Dbeibah's legitimacy
Vehicles of military brigades loyal to the Libyan unity government headed by Abdulhamid Dbeibah arrive from neighbouring towns to the capital Tripoli on February 12, 2022.
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The joint forces from Misrata, Khoms and Zlitan, with about 300 armed vehicles paraded in Tripoli's Martyrs Square upon arrival.
Colonel Ibrahim Mohamed, Field Commander of the Joint Operations Force, said that their aim was to preserve "the democratic path in Libya" and that they rejected the rule of the military.
"We are fed up with governments, sometimes an administrative government and at other times a transitional government" he said "We want elections," he said.
The Joint Operations Force said in a statement earlier on Saturday that their move came by order of Dbeibah calling them "to secure the government headquarters and key sites in the capital."
Dbeibah initially started rallying supporters in Misrata, against the parallel government of Fathi Bashaga, which was commissioned by the Libyan Parliament on Thursday.
On Friday, main streets and squares in Tripoli and Misrata witnessed massive demonstrations rejecting the decision of the House of Representatives in Tobruk to establish Bashaga's new transitional government.
The demonstrators demanded the overthrow of the House of Representatives and the High Council of State, and called for maintaining the National Unity Government, led by Abdel Hamid Dbeibah.
They also demanded that elections would be held on time in accordance with the Geneva Agreement.