The Coordination of Free Forces in Niger has denied the release of leader Mahmoud Salah, who is still held by Haftar’s forces in Libya. Reports suggest that French President Macron intervened on Salah’s behalf, as relations between Niger’s military and Haftar’s forces strengthen.
The Coordination of Free Forces in Niger, a rebel organization, has rejected claims concerning the release of its leader, Mahmoud Salah. He was apprehended on February 23 in the Al-Gatroon region of Libya and is reportedly still detained by Khalifa Haftar’s military forces in Benghazi, as reported by the Senegalese outlet Sud Quotidien.
Contradictory reports emerged from the Italian news agency Nova, which alleged that Salah had been released based on unnamed Libyan sources. These reports indicated that French President Emmanuel Macron had requested that Haftar not transfer Salah to Niger’s military council, deemed illegitimate by the international community following the coup that ousted President Mohamed Bazoum on July 26, 2023.
The relationship between Niger’s military regime and Haftar has notably intensified in recent months. This is highlighted by Nigerien Interior Minister Mohamed Boubacar Toumba’s visit to Benghazi last August, leading to the revival of bilateral security agreements.
In September, Haftar sent his son, Saddam, as a special envoy to Niger’s transitional leader, General Abdourahmane Tchiani. Concurrently, Libya’s Chief of General Staff, Lieutenant General Mohamed Al-Haddad, visited Niamey to collaborate with Nigerien officials on strengthening measures against armed groups along their mutual borders.
In summary, the Coordination of Free Forces in Niger firmly denied the release of Mahmoud Salah, who remains in custody in Libya. Despite conflicting reports from Italian sources, the evolving relationship between Niger’s military authorities and Khalifa Haftar signals increasing cooperation in regional security matters, particularly regarding armed groups.
Original Source: libyaobserver.ly
