The Libyan National Army has declared the liberation of Sidi Akribish in Bneghazi, purging the last stronghold of extremist groups. In July, General Khalifa Haftar, commander of the Libyan National Army (LNA), announced liberating Benghazi from terrorist groups. In June, he urged the special forces to advance and proceed in the battles in the downtown and al-Sabri. The army forces are fighting armed militias in the second biggest Libyan city, under a wider struggle that has been ongoing since ousting Gaddafi in 2011. Brigadier General Ahmed al-Mesmari, spokesman for the Libyan National Army, said in a press conference late Wednesday that the security authorities have recordings that prove the cooperation between Qatar and Qaeda. He added that elections, planned for 2018, should be monitored by international observers to ensure integrity. He also said the army will secure polling stations across the country. Mesmari urged the parliament to accelerate the issuance of the elections law which will introduce citizens to their rights and duties in these elections, stressing that the military institution can’t be ruled but by a “civil elected leadership”. “We should give the Libyan people the freedom to express themselves through ballot boxes,” Mesmari said, underlining that elections should enjoy transparency and integrity. Further, Fayez al-Sarraj Government of National Accord called on the Italian government to find a mechanism to return Libyan players who are sentenced for 30 years in prison in Rome for accusations of illegal immigration and human trafficking. In another matter, a source from the National Oil Corporation (NOC) announced putting down a fire that started after exploding a pipeline for transferring crude oil near Marada. Mesmari considered it a terrorist operation, adding that terrorists who fled to the west of the country are being pursued. He saw that the purpose is to destruct the country’s possessions and create an economic chaos for the sake of prolonging the Libyan crisis duration.