Libyan condemns US 'violation' of its sovereignty

The Libyan government has condemned a US special forces operation on Tuesday that seized the alleged of mastermind of a terrorist attack as a “brazen violation of Libyan sovereignty.”

"The government was not aware of the US operation to arrest Ahmed Abu Khattala," Libyan government spokesman Ahmed Lamin told Anadolu Agency on Wednesday

In a letter addressed to the president of the UN Security Council for June, Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin, US envoy Samantha Power evoked "the United States' inherent right of self-defense."

"Following a painstaking investigation, the US government ascertained that Ahmed Abu Khatallah was a key figure" in a September 11, 2012 Benghazi assault, her letter, dated Tuesday, read.

Four Americans, including Ambassador Christopher Stevens, were killed when gunmen stormed the US consulate and set it on fire. A CIA outpost was also targeted.

Meanwhile, renegade Libyan general Khalifa Haftar denied any link to the US operation to arrest Abu Khattala.

"Our forces had nothing to do with the detention of Abu Khattala," Haftar spokesman Mohamed al-Hegazi told AA. "We did not participate in this operation."

Last month, Haftar declared war on armed militias operating in eastern Libya with the stated aim of "purging" the country of "extremists".

A statement released on Twitter by the al-Battar Brigade (allegedly fighting with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant in Syria) vowed to get revenge against the United States for Khattal’s arrest.

According to Washington, Abu Khattala is a leading member of the Islamist Ansar al-Sharia militia – an allegation Abu Khattala denies.

Justice Minister Salah Mergani said his government expects the US as a "friendly country" to help the Libyans, not to "confuse" the country's security situation.

"Abu Khattala is wanted in Libya and he must be tried in the country," he added.

Libya has been the scene of political and security turmoil since the 2011 ouster of long-serving ruler Muammar Gaddafi.