The Undersecretary of the Interior Ministry for Libya's parliament-appointed government, Faraj Qaim, said that the armed forces on Friday confronted "a terrorist cell that tried to destabilize the general order and stability in the eastern region," referring to the elements accompanying the Minister of Defense for the former Government of National Accord, Brigadier General Mahdi Barghathi.

In a video published by Al-Masar TV, Qaim said, "This destabilization is caused by a Muslim Brotherhood group that does not represent the Libyan people in anything," continuing: "We will not allow this destabilization, and whoever writes on Facebook is like a criminal who carries weapons."

Qaim added out that this group "entered the city of Benghazi with leaders illegally and lasted for several days, during which they took desert roads to avoid gates and checkpoints and brought light and medium weapons with them," accusing them of carrying out "acts of sabotage and cutting off communications by sabotaging fiber optic cables in several places in Benghazi."

He threatened residents of Tobruk, Kufra, Ajdabiya, Saluq, al-Kuwaifiya, al-Marj, Benina and al-Muqrin if they supported the group that the armed forces would "strike with an iron fist," as well as those who wrote on Facebook in support of that group.

He also called on tribal sheikhs that everyone who will communicate with the group will be pursued, saying: "We have full information about the meetings held in Ajdabiya, Brega, Marj and Benghazi, we warn them we will strike with an iron hand everyone who communicates with them, we have the names of all the people in Egypt, Turkey and Tunisia, who provide them with money. This money will take your lives... We will strike with an iron fist."

He accused "foreign countries of cooperating with this group to destabilize Libya," pointing to the armed forces and the competent security services arrested this group and will publish the results of the facts after they are fulfilled.

This is the first statement by an official in Benghazi regarding the events in Benghazi during the past days, after reports of the outbreak of armed clashes.