Gaddafi supporters bet on large-scale participation in the anniversary of "Al-Fateh"
Supporters of the late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi are betting on a broad participation in this year’s celebrations marking the anniversary of the “September 1st Revolution,” an event that serves as the first political and organizational test for their movement following the assassination of his son, Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, in February in the city of Zintan. According to observers, loyalists to the former regime are seeking to demonstrate that their current is not based on a single individual, but rather on the ideas of the “Third Universal Theory” and its legacy, which they claim remains alive in the consciousness of a large segment of Libyans. They are also using the occasion to demand an investigation into the circumstances surrounding Saif al-Islam’s death, which many of his supporters regard as that of the “potential political heir to his father.”
In a move reflecting this faction’s desire to build momentum and affirm its presence ahead of the anniversary, media outlets and social media platforms close to or aligned with the movement were flooded with videos and images documenting early preparations in several cities. These included the distribution of green flags, the raising of banners featuring prominent quotes and photographs of Muammar Gaddafi, as well as images of Saif al-Islam taken before his death, which were even printed on some clothing items.
Ali Masbah Abu Subha, head of the “National Reconciliation Team” within Saif al-Islam Gaddafi’s faction, predicted that this year’s celebrations would “gain widespread popular momentum compared to previous years,” given the killing of Saif al-Islam. He told Asharq Al-Awsat: “Supporters of the Gaddafi regime in general, and specifically supporters of Saif al-Islam, will strive to be strongly present in public squares to refute claims by some that his death has weakened the Popular Movement and that it will gradually fade away,” adding that “the expected increase in participants this year cannot be separated from the crises the country is undergoing.”
Libya has been experiencing a division between two governments for years: the first, the interim Government of National Unity, led by Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh; and the second, appointed by the parliament and led by Osama Hammad, which administers the eastern and parts of the southern regions with the support of National Army commander Khalifa Haftar.
