TRIPOLI, Nov. 11 (Xinhua) -- Libya's eastern-based army on Saturday issued an arrest warrant against Faraj Eg'em, deputy interior minister of the UN-backed government, according to a military source.
"Orders were issued to the military prosecutor's office in Benghazi to arrest Faraj Eg'em, after provoking strife between the military, provoking armed conflicts in the city, and taking up an illegal position in areas controlled by the army," a source of the army told Xinhua.
"The military prosecutor issued orders to the Interior Ministry of the Interim Government to circulate the name of Eg'em, who fled after the seizure of Bersis, at all security and military checkpoints in the east, and to immediately bring him to military prosecution," the source added.
Speaking to a local TV channel on Friday, Eg'em demanded that Bokhmada, the army's special forces commander, be the general commander of the army within 48 hours, to replace the current Army Commander General Khalifa Haftar.
Faraj Eg'em's headquarter on Friday was attacked by rocket-propelled grenades, killing three security personnel and injuring nine others.
Eg'em's convoy was also attacked last week, and one security guard was killed and four others injured. Eg'em accused the army of carrying out the attack.
Following Eg'em's statement, the army on Saturday stormed his headquarters in Benghazi, confiscated all the military vehicles inside it, and besieged his forces which fled to the nearby town of Bersis.
UN-backed Prime Minister Fayez Serraj on Saturday demanded immediate cease-fire in Benghazi, condemning shelling on the city.
Despite signing a UN-sponsored peace agreement by the country's political rivals and appointment of the Government of National Accord in 2015, Libya remains politically divided amid insecurity and chaos.
