[Breitbart] During an investigation into a street shooting, officials in Pennsylvania took down two alleged sex trafficking rings that were forcing women into prostitution.
Police in Norristown, Pennsylvania, caught the alleged sex traffickers after being called to investigate the shooting of Fernando Meza-Ramirez, 42, who was found maimed in a Toyota RAV4 on February 13.
Meza-Ramirez, who turned out to be a Mexican national in the U.S. illegally and living in New York City, had been shot in the thigh, according to WCAU-TV.
The maimed man told police that he had driven to Norristown from New York when someone in a white Acura TLX drove up next to hm and opened fire. I seen dis movie
But as Sherlocks from the Montgomery County Sheriff’s office and Norristown Police began looking into the case, they reportedly began seeing signs that Meza-Ramirez was running hookers between New York and Norristown. Investigators say that the suspect even had business cards with nude women printed on them.
Investigators further discovered that Meza-Ramirez was in a pie fight with a man living in Norristown, Efran Flores-Rodriguez, who was also allegedly running hookers there.
Police say that witnesses identified Flores-Rodriguez as the occupant of the Acura and the man who opened fire on Meza-Ramirez.
Police raided the home of Flores-Rodriguez and found illegal firearms and a woman they say was one of his hookers.
The woman found in the home told police that Flores-Rodriguez obtained clients for her and that she used to work for Meza-Ramirez as well.
Both men were arrested and charged with "trafficking individuals" and other crimes and will next appear in court on April 10.
Officials in Louisiana also busted an alleged sex trafficking ring run by illegals when Sherlocks in New Orleans arrested three Honduran nationals who were advertising women for prostitution over WhatsApp.
An indictment says that Jesus Lopez, 45; Zaira Lopez-Oliva, 24; and Kirsis Castellanos-Kirington, 30, were offering sexual services for between $40 and $60 from women who were trafficked from places including New Jersey and Houston ...a city in Texas, named after Sam Houston, who would drop deader than he is now if he could see how it turned out... , Texas.
Posted by: Skidmark ||
02/26/2026 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[1775 views]
Top|| File under: Human Trafficking
[DallasExpress] A North Texas woman was arrested Saturday night after police found nine homemade bombs in her backpack, following a string of mysterious fires that had plagued Commerce recently.
The arrest of 26-year-old Jamia Howell comes as authorities investigate multiple fires reported across the small city since February 20.
A Commerce police officer spotted a fire at Centennial Park Saturday evening and noticed a woman leaving the area. Officers detained Howell and discovered the cache of Molotov cocktails, along with a lighter and bomb-making materials.
Howell reportedly admitted to “testing” the devices around the city. She faces charges of arson and possession of a prohibited weapon, with additional charges possible.
The explosive devices, commonly called Molotov cocktails, consist of glass bottles filled with flammable liquid and cloth wicks. When thrown, the bottles shatter on impact and ignite.
The term originated during the 1939-1940 Winter War, when Finnish soldiers mockingly named the weapons after Soviet foreign minister Vyacheslav Molotov.
Commerce, located about 70 miles northeast of Dallas, had experienced 36 hours of unexplained fires before Saturday’s arrest. Police continue investigating the extent of Howell’s alleged activities.
The usual question: Nut, evil, or terrorist? There have been no updates thus far.
Pakistan forces launch a massive response against Afghan Taliban along Pak-Afghan border near Landi Kotal, in areas including Waragha Sar, Maro Sar, and Shah Kot.
Taliban post has been destroyed, and 15+ Taliban have been hit so far by Pakistan drone strikes. pic.twitter.com/WSX0A3wfq3
#BREAKING The Libyan National Army has taken control of a militant camp in southern Libya and arrested a number of those involved in the abduction of officers and soldiers, during an operation targeting forces led by Mohammed Wardagu.https://t.co/PzK4AXb3CTpic.twitter.com/F8XpPlC8Xh
[LibyaReview] A major in the Libyan National Army (LNA) has been killed in an assassination attack carried out by armed groups described as outlaws in the southern town of Al-Qatrun.
Major Fares Al-Ferjani died after being shot by gunmen near a roundabout in Qatrun, according to local sources. Footage circulated on Libyan social media platforms showed what appeared to be CCTV images of the moment armed assailants attacked his vehicle. In the video, one attacker is seen stepping out of a car and opening fire at close range before the officer reportedly attempted to respond with his weapon.
The Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the LNA, Saddam Haftar,
…who happens to be the son of Khalifa Haftar ...Self-proclaimed Field Marshal, served in the Libyan army under Muammar Qadaffy, and took part in the coup that brought Qadaffy to power in 1969. He became a prisoner of war in Chad in 1987. While held prisoner, he and his fellow officers formed a group hoping to overthrow Qadaffy, so it's kind of hard to describe him as a Qadaffy holdover. He was released around 1990 in a deal with the United States government and spent nearly two decades in the United States, gaining US citizenship. In 1993, while living in the United States, he was convicted in absentia of crimes against the Jamahiriya and sentenced to death. Haftar held a senior position in the anti-Qadaffy forces in the 2011 Libyan Civil War. In 2014 he was commander of the Libyan Army when the General National Congress (GNC) refused to give up power in accordance with its term of office. Haftar launched a campaign against the GNC and its Islamic fundamentalist allies. His campaign allowed elections to take place to replace the GNC, but then developed into a civil war. Guess you can't win them all. Actually, he is, but slowly...
issued a statement mourning Al-Ferjani. The message was published on Facebook by the LNA’s Military Media Division, praising the officer’s service and describing his death as a loss to the armed forces.
Local sources told Alwasat newspaper that Al-Ferjani was transported to hospital with serious gunshot wounds but later succumbed to his injuries. Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident.
Preliminary information suggests that the attackers may be linked to smuggling networks operating in southern Libya. The region has long witnessed intermittent clashes between security forces and armed groups involved in illicit cross-border trade, including fuel, goods and human trafficking.
Security challenges in the south remain a persistent concern for Libyan authorities, given the vast desert terrain and proximity to porous borders with neighbouring countries. The assassination has renewed calls for intensified operations against criminal networks and stronger coordination among security agencies.
Officials have not yet announced arrests in connection with the killing. Investigations are ongoing to identify the perpetrators and determine the full circumstances surrounding the attack.
[LibyaReview] Patrols from the General Administration of Coastal Security, affiliated with the General Command, have intercepted 67 irregular migrants in the Al-Khamsin area east of Sirte, in the latest effort to curb illegal migration along Libya’s coastline.
According to security sources, the migrants were detained during a field operation carried out by coastal patrol units in the eastern Sirte region. Authorities also seized the truck that had been transporting the migrants inland before their planned departure by sea.
Officials confirmed that the boat prepared to smuggle the group across the Mediterranean was destroyed and burned on the shoreline to prevent its use in human trafficking operations.
The operation comes as part of ongoing security measures aimed at tightening coastal surveillance and disrupting smuggling networks operating in central Libya. Coastal Security units continue to conduct patrols along key departure points frequently used by migrant smuggling groups.
Libya remains a major transit route for irregular migration toward Europe, with authorities repeatedly announcing similar operations targeting trafficking networks and illegal sea crossings.
[AFRICANEWS] DR Congo government forces launched a major attack on the M23 rebel group in the east, using drones to strike a key mining site near Rubaya, North Kivu.
The Rubaya mine, captured by M23 with Rwanda's support in April 2024, produces up to 30 percent of the world's coltan, a mineral vital for electronics like laptops and smartphones.
Since its resurgence in 2021, M23 has seized large swaths of the DRC's resource-rich east, fueling a conflict that has lasted over three decades.
Recent fighting also hit South Kivu, where M23-allied militias battled Congolese troops near Uvira, a strategic town close to Burundi.
Local militias joined Congolese forces in North Kivu, especially around Masisi, to push back the rebels. UN experts report M23 has even set up a parallel administration to control Rubaya's operations.
Despite ceasefire proposals from Angola and diplomatic pressure from the United States, hostilities continue, leaving residents in terror as dronezaps and festivities intensify across the region.
Confusion in ISWAP camp after senior Commander killed by own IED in Borno
By: Zagazola Makama
Confusion has reportedly engulfed a factional camp of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) following the death of a senior Commander who was allegedly killed by an… pic.twitter.com/oX7Mnc0n1n
Confusion in ISWAP camp after senior Commander killed by own IED in Borno "Ow!!! I'm so confused!"
"Lemme help you. That pile there, that's your guts..."
By Zagazola Makama
Confusion has reportedly engulfed a factional camp of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) following the death of a senior Commander who was allegedly killed by an improvised explosive device (IED) planted by his own group.
Sources told Zagazola Makama that the incident, which occurred on Feb. 24, triggered internal discord and heightened tensions within the insurgent ranks operating in parts of the Lake Chad Basin.
According to the sources, a fighter identified as a unit intelligence member (UIM) sought clarification from a senior Commander, Amir Musa, over the circumstances surrounding the deaths of two members of the group. "What the fudge, sir?" More at the link
[ACCLEDDATA] Over one week into Ramadan, Islamic State Mozambique (ISM) has continued to focus on sourcing supplies of food and other basic necessities. Militants based in Catupa forest ambushed a commercial convoy on the N380, leading to sustained clashes with state forces and at least three fatalities, a figure likely to rise. Along the coast and on offshore islands, interactions with communities have been relatively subdued, with supplies either taken or purchased. Only one violent action took place on the coast — the firing of a rocket-propelled grenade at a Mozambican military base on Mocímboa da Praia’s outskirts.
SITUATION SUMMARY: CLASHES INTENSIFY IN CATUPA AND ON THE N380 ISM fighters attacked a commercial convoy near Quinto Congresso on the N380 on the morning of Sunday 22 February, Zitamar News reports. According to local sources, clashes continued in the area on the subsequent Monday and Tuesday involving ISM, the Local Force, and the Mozambican and Rwandan militaries. The Islamic State (IS) claims 14 fatalities in those clashes among the “Mozambique-Rwanda coalition.” The Sunday ambush came nearly two weeks after failed efforts by the Defense Armed Forces of Mozambique (FADM) to regain control of its former Namabo and Catupa positions in Catupa forest, which lie east of Quinto Congresso.
The initial 22 February ambush took place outside Quinto Congresso village at around 10 a.m. as the convoy, with a military escort leading, was traveling north from Macomia town. According to sources, the escort vehicles were allowed to pass before the commercial vehicles were attacked.
Pictures in circulation on social media indicate that a number of people were injured in the attack. According to two sources in contact with people in the convoy, the driver of one truck was shot and died at the scene. A military source told DW that ISM killed one child in the attack, and that two ISM militants died in a clash that continued until Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) reinforcements arrived later in the day. However, sources in the area state that clashes continued on 23 and 24 February involving FADM, the police Rapid Intervention Unit, the Local Force, and the RDF.
An improvised explosive device (IED) reportedly planted by suspected bandits exploded early Wednesday morning along the Gusau–Funtua highway, between Kuceri and Magazu villages in Tsafe Local Government Area of… pic.twitter.com/JxQiHzOmdt
An improvised explosive device (IED) reportedly planted by suspected bandits exploded early Wednesday morning along the Gusau–Funtua highway, between Kuceri and Magazu villages in Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
#4
I have seen versions of this story that leave out the somewhat important part about the boat opening fire on the Cubans. This is called 'journalism'.
[IsraelTimes] Ex-soldier, who was visiting her parents in Istanbul, was held under house arrest after local anti-Israel campaigners urged her detention; US pressure said to secure her freedom
Jews first settled in what is now Turkey in the late 3rd century BC, settled there by Seleucid king Antiochus III. Just before the breakup of the Ottoman empire the Jewish population of Turkey peaked at 200,000. Nowadays there are 14,000 Turkish Jews in Turkey. Israel has 280,000.
An Israeli-Ottoman Turkish dual national was recently arrested while visiting her parents in Istanbul for serving in the past in the Israel Defense Forces, being held under house arrest for several days until diplomatic pressure secured her release and return to Israel, Hebrew media reported Wednesday.
The woman was apprehended under a Ottoman Turkish law that prohibits serving in a foreign military, according to Channel 12 news.
Her detention came after an anti-Israel Ottoman Turkish activist group published her details from a database of dual citizen Israeli soldiers gleaned from social media. The group, which reportedly focuses on female soldiers, urged Ottoman Turkish authorities to arrest the woman under laws relating to genocide and crimes against humanity in connection with the Gazoo
...Hellhole adjunct to Israel and Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, inhabited by Gazooks. The place was acquired in the wake of the 1967 War and then presented to Paleostinian control in 2006 by Ariel Sharon, who had entered his dotage. It is currently ruled with a rusty iron fist by Hamas with about the living conditions you'd expect. It periodically attacks the Hated Zionist Entity whenever Iran needs a ruckus created or the hard boyz get bored, getting thumped by the IDF in return. The ruling turbans then wave the bloody shirt and holler loudly about oppression and disproportionate response... war.
The woman, whose name has not been not reported, was arrested last week and held for several hours before being released to house arrest.
At that point, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar became involved, reportedly leading a diplomatic push for her to return to Israel. The US administration also helped out, and was said to have sent a message to Ottoman Turkish authorities that the woman be immediately released.
She was reportedly then permitted to leave The Sick Man of Europe Turkey ...the occupiers of Greek Asia Minor... for a third country, from where she flew back to Israel under the auspices of Israeli authorities. Sa’ar has spoken to her since she arrived back in the country, reports said.
The Ottoman Turkish activism group was said to have launched its campaign after the Israeli Ynet news outlet, a week and a half ago, published figures on the number of dual nationals serving in the IDF, putting the figure at just over 50,000.
Israeli legal, military and political officials were alarmed at the incident, given the current tense relations with Turkey, Channel 12 said.
Relations between Israel and Turkey have been particularly strained since the war broke out in Gaza following the October 7, 2023, Hamas ..a contraction of the Arabic words for "frothing at the mouth",... -led massacre in southern Israel.
In a separate case, earlier this month, the Foreign Ministry confirmed that an Israeli woman had been arrested in Turkey. The woman, Avivit Amber, was arrested after allegedly desecrating the country’s flag and insulting Ottoman Turkish President His Enormity, Sultan Recep Tayyip Erdogan the First ...Turkey's version of Mohammed Morsi but they voted him back in so they deserve him. It's a sin, a shame, and a felony to insult the president of Turkey. In Anatolia did Recep Bey a stately Presidential Palace decree, that has 1100 rooms. That's 968 more than in the White House, 400 more than in Versailles, and 325 more than Buckingham Palace, so you know who's really more important... and Paleostine, Hebrew media outlets reported.
There have been previous incidents of anti-Israel groups seeking the arrest of Israeli soldiers visiting various countries, primarily the Hind Rajab Foundation.
…another Hezbollah front project launched 2024.
The foundation, a pro-Paleostinian, anti-Israel legal group based in Belgium and named after a 6-year-old Gazook girl killed in January 2024, has filed dozens of criminal complaints against Israeli soldiers and officials who are visiting or stationed in European countries over the past two years.
Beginning in 2024, the Hind Rajab Foundation has used social media posts by Israeli soldiers, officers and reservists to locate them in an attempt to have them arrested for alleged war crimes when they travel abroad. The group has sparked alarm within Israel, prompting the IDF to create new rules to better protect troops’ privacy and keep them from being victims of doxxing — the practice of publishing someone’s personal information online to expose them.
While the group has spurred European authorities to detain a number of IDF soldiers and forced a soldier visiting Brazil to flee back to Israel, fearing arrest, it has been unsuccessful in court, and no soldier targeted by the group has been prosecuted for war crimes or any other alleged offenses committed in Gaza.
Israel vehemently denies it has committed war crimes or genocide in Gaza, and says it seeks to minimize civilian fatalities, stressing that Hamas uses Gaza’s civilians as human shields, fighting from civilian areas, including homes, hospitals, schools and mosques.
[Breitbart] An Iranian opposition group took credit for a coordinated assault on Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s Tehran headquarters this week, reporting “heavy clashes” with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) that allegedly left more than 100 of its fighters killed, wounded, or arrested.
The Command Headquarters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) said the operation began at dawn Monday, February 23, during the call to morning prayer, and continued into the afternoon around the Motahari Complex in central Tehran — one of the Islamic Republic’s most heavily fortified seats of power.
According to the group, more than 250 fighters were involved in the clashes. It said over 100 were “martyred, wounded, or detained,” while more than 150 positioned within the compound’s outer security perimeter “safely returned to their bases” by midnight Tehran time.
On Wednesday, the PMOI/MEK said it submitted the names and identifying details of 26 additional individuals — including those killed, missing, or detained during Monday’s operation — to the United Nations Special Rapporteur and other international human rights organizations, urging authorities to clarify their status and whereabouts.
The group renewed its call for international representatives to meet with detainees and to be granted access to view the bodies of those reported killed. It added that two professional cameramen who went to the scene solely to film the events are among the missing and said their identifying details were also forwarded to international authorities.
The PMOI/MEK’s internal command headquarters further stated that, following the reported assault, regime army and IRGC air defense and combat units remain on full alert around the compound.
The specific casualty figures and operational details could not be independently verified, though regime-affiliated outlets later acknowledged explosions and unrest in the heavily secured Pasteur district.
The Motahari Complex — covering roughly half a square kilometer (approximately 150 acres) — houses not only Khamenei’s main office but also the Guardian Council, the Assembly of Experts, the Supreme National Security Council, the Expediency Council, the central offices of the judiciary and intelligence ministry, and the office and residence of Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the supreme leader and widely viewed as his heir apparent.
The opposition group described a multilayered security architecture surrounding the site, including reinforced concrete walls more than four meters (over 13 feet) high topped with anti-drone and anti-projectile barriers, along with internal compartmentalization giving each building its own perimeter wall.
Nearly 5,000 members of the elite IRGC Vali-e Amr Protection Corps and the Ansar al-Mahdi Corps are tasked with guarding the compound, according to the group, which identified overall command as IRGC Brigadier General Hassan Mashrou’i-Far, known as Emami.
Seventeen rotating surveillance cameras encircle the complex, the PMOI/MEK said, asserting that several were disabled at dawn with alleged inside assistance prior to the assault.
Posted by: Skidmark ||
02/26/2026 08:40 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[1800 views]
Top|| File under: Govt of Iran
#1
Hopefully, MEK can fight IRGC/Basij to a mutual death
Posted by: Frank G ||
02/26/2026 12:10 Comments ||
Top||
#2
tough target for a group like MEK
easy target for USA or IDF
Posted by: Lord Garth ||
02/26/2026 13:18 Comments ||
Top||
#3
I remember looking at MEK back in the day. Buying a rabid dog as protection seems ill advised.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
02/26/2026 14:25 Comments ||
Top||
#4
As I recall, Super Hose, MEK (communist jihadis, if I understand correctly) joined the ayatollahs in overthrowing the Shah, then turned on them. Does that agree with what you discovered?
#5
TW, I think I remember that they were investigated during the Iraq Invasion because Saddam was hiding them. Team Cheney have them a look as their eye was always on invading Iran. I think we decided that they weren’t reliable allies and told them to stand in the corner while we did what we did. It was sort of a leper colony strategy.
That was 20 years ago. It’s hard to imagine that our conversation about some of this has gone two decades.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
02/26/2026 17:31 Comments ||
Top||
#6
MEK is every bit as bad as the mullahs. A deadly pox on both their houses ruined hovels. Hence my comment at #1
Posted by: Frank G ||
02/26/2026 19:14 Comments ||
Top||
#7
^^3,4,5,6,
MEK cooperated with Sadam in his persecution of the Kurds among their other achievements. But it took until 1997 until they were listed as a Foreign Terror Org. SecState Hillary delisted them in 2012. In 2019, Rudy Giuliani gave a pro MEK speech calling them a reformed liberation org at a conference in Albania.
Posted by: Lord Garth ||
02/26/2026 19:40 Comments ||
Top||
**Turkey’s presence in Lebanon** is shaped by deep historical ties, ongoing diplomatic engagement, and recent humanitarian and evacuation efforts amid escalating regional tensions.
**Historical and Cultural Ties**
Lebanon was part of the Ottoman Empire from 1516 to 1918, leaving a lasting legacy. The Ottoman period saw significant Turkish migration, including settlers from Anatolia and later refugees from the Balkans and North Africa. Today, the **Lebanese Turkmen** community—descendants of these groups—resides primarily in Akkar, Baalbeck, Tripoli, and Beirut. Turkish influence is visible in architecture (e.g., the former Ottoman stables now housing the Parliament building), language (words like *afandi*, *bortouqal*, and *taouk*), and culture (Turkish coffee, the tarboush hat). However, this legacy is complex: the Great Famine of Mount Lebanon (1915–1918), caused by an Ottoman blockade during WWI, remains a source of historical grievance among many Lebanese.
**Diplomatic and Economic Relations**
Turkey maintains an embassy in Beirut and a consulate in Tripoli, while Lebanon has an embassy in Ankara and a consulate in Istanbul. Since the end of the Lebanese civil war, bilateral relations have strengthened, especially after the 2004 visit of Prime Minister Rafik Hariri to Turkey. The **Turkey-Lebanon Association Agreement**, signed in 2010 and effective since 2017, eliminated tariffs and non-tariff barriers, boosting trade—Turkey exported $889.3 million worth of goods to Lebanon in 2017, while importing $131.2 million.
**Humanitarian and Strategic Engagement**
Turkey has consistently provided humanitarian aid:
- In 2006, during the Lebanon War, Turkey sent medical and food supplies.
- In 2013, it delivered two **power ships** (MV Karadeniz Powership Fatmagül Sultan and Orhan Bey) to address Lebanon’s electricity shortages.
- In April 2022, during Lebanon’s liquidity crisis, Turkey shipped food, baby formula, and basic needs.
Following the 2020 Beirut explosions, Turkish officials, including Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, visited Lebanon and announced plans to grant Turkish citizenship to Lebanese Turks and Turkmen who self-identify as such.
**Recent Evacuations and Geopolitical Tensions**
In October 2024, amid Israeli airstrikes targeting Hezbollah in Beirut, Turkey launched a military evacuation operation. Over **2,000 Turkish citizens and some foreign nationals** boarded a Turkish naval ship from Beirut. The ships also delivered **300 tons of humanitarian aid**, including food, tents, and hygiene kits. This move underscored Turkey’s strategic interest in protecting its nationals and reinforcing regional influence.
**Controversy and Allegations**
Turkey’s role in Lebanon remains debated. While some view its aid and diplomacy as supportive, others suspect **neo-Ottoman ambitions**. In February 2025, Israel accused Turkey of **financing Hezbollah’s resurgence** through cash-carrying flights, citing evidence to the UN Security Council. Turkey denies these allegations, but the claims highlight the geopolitical sensitivity of its involvement.
In summary, Turkey’s role in Lebanon combines historical legacy, economic partnership, humanitarian support, and strategic diplomacy—making it a significant, albeit contested, regional actor.
Appearance of ISIS elements arresting members affiliated with al-Jolani, with participation of foreign fighters who are said to have recently joined the organization.
A new scene that confirms the continued security chaos and the multiplicity of armed groups at the expense of civilians.
🔴 Raqqa countryside
ISIS fighters appear arresting Jolani-affiliated elements, with foreign militants reportedly newly joined to the group.
Another scene exposing ongoing security chaos and competing armed factions — at civilians’ expense.
Posted by: badanov ||
02/26/2026 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[1765 views]
Top|| File under: Islamic State
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
...a city in Texas, named after Sam Houston, who would drop deader than he is now if he could see how it turned out...
...Self-proclaimed Field Marshal, served in the Libyan army under Muammar Qadaffy, and took part in the coup that brought Qadaffy to power in 1969. He became a prisoner of war in Chad in 1987. While held prisoner, he and his fellow officers formed a group hoping to overthrow Qadaffy, so it's kind of hard to describe him as a Qadaffy holdover. He was released around 1990 in a deal with the United States government and spent nearly two decades in the United States, gaining US citizenship. In 1993, while living in the United States, he was convicted in absentia of crimes against the Jamahiriya and sentenced to death. Haftar held a senior position in the anti-Qadaffy forces in the 2011 Libyan Civil War. In 2014 he was commander of the Libyan Army when the General National Congress (GNC) refused to give up power in accordance with its term of office. Haftar launched a campaign against the GNC and its Islamic fundamentalist allies. His campaign allowed elections to take place to replace the GNC, but then developed into a civil war. Guess you can't win them all. Actually, he is, but slowly...
..a contraction of the Arabic words for "frothing at the mouth",...
