One month after it was launched by retired Maj-Gen Khalifah Haftar, "Operation Dignity", targeting Libya's Islamist militias, is still in full swing with forces loyal to the general carrying out air and artillery strikes against Islamist militias in the eastern city of Benghazi. Despite being spurned by some officials and members of parliament - the General National Congress (GNC) - the operation is backed by parts of the armed forces, some armed groups and sections of society. Perhaps the most significant declaration of support for Haftar's operation, particularly in terms of shifting the balance, came from Libya's air force. Air force commander Jum'ah al-Abbani and former commander Saqr al-Jurushi announced their backing of Haftar within days of the launch of Operation Dignity. Air raids have become the Haftar forces' most powerful tool. Suspected Islamist sites, particularly in Benghazi, have been repeatedly targeted from the air. Speaking on the day of a suicide bomb attempt on Haftar's life, Al-Jurushi said his forces would soon be launching "painful" and "deterrent" air operations against the Islamist groups. A number of air bases, including the Tobruk and Banina bases, also their support early on in the campaign. Boosting Haftar's efforts on the ground are the Sa'iqah special forces. These have been involved in clashes with Islamist groups, including Ansar al-Shari'ah. Major clashes erupted on 2 June after Ansar al-Shari'ah and other militias attacked the units' bases. The ensuing fighting resulted in at least 20 deaths. Other forces that support Haftar include the powerful Zintan militia and the Zintan Military Council, as well as the Al-Qa'qa and Al-Sawa'iq brigades, which attacked the GNC soon after Operation Dignity was announced, likely due to the Islamists' strong presence there. Libya's Interior Ministry issued a statement on 21 May announcing its support for Haftar's campaign. In contrast, some members of the Islamist-dominated GNC have condemned Haftar. Consequently, Operation Dignity has further polarized Libyan politics, with the Islamists, especially those in the GNC, on one side, and relatively liberal MPs and government officials on the other. In response to Haftar's operation, Islamist-backed Ahmad Mu'aytiq, whose appointment as prime minister has now been ruled unconstitutional, asserted that it was the government's job to fight terrorism, which he said "cannot be combated through the bombarding of cities" - a reference to Haftar's use of air power. But outgoing Prime Minister Abdallah al-Thinni's stance is less clear. Initially denouncing Haftar's operation, later media reports claimed that he met the general during a visit to Benghazi, as the city continued to be the scene of serious clashes. Al-Thinni subsequently expressed strong support for the Sa'iqah forces, which are unequivocally pro-Haftar. "Every young man who carries weapons or can use weapons should join the Sa'iqah to give it the moral momentum and to stand alongside the Sa'iqah heroes who are fighting throughout Benghazi", Al-Thinni said in a press conference on 5 June. Accompanying Al-Thinni at the same press conference, the commander of the Benghazi Joint Security Chamber, Col Abdallah al-Su'ayti, said that his forces share the same goals as Haftar. Tribes, which have gained prominence in the vacuum left by the collapse of Gaddafi regime, are another source of support for Haftar. It is also reported that both Tuareg and Tabu tribes in Libya's south support Operation Dignity. The Libya International Channel, a Tripoli-based TV station, also shows clear support for Haftar in its broadcasts. The channel carries a logo in the top left of the screen that reads "Fighting terrorism" followed by the number of days since Haftar launched his campaign. A number of protests in support of Haftar have been held since the launch of Operation Dignity, the latest to date being on 6 June in Benghazi. Pro-Haftar demonstrations also took place in Tripoli on 29 May and 6 June, the latter ending in clashes with anti-Haftar protesters in the same square. In late May, one person was killed as Benghazi residents clashed with members of Ansar al-Shari'ah, according to the Libyan Al-Wasat news website.
