TRIPOLI, Libya

A Libyan court on Tuesday ruled to exclude warlord Khalifa Haftar from next month’s presidential election, according to local media.

Zawiya Court of First Instance accepted an appeal lodged against Haftar’s candidacy and ruled to exclude him from the list of candidates for the Dec. 24 polls, Libya Al-Ahrar TV reported.

The court said it decided "to accept the appeal ... and to cancel the decision of the High Elections Commission regarding the candidacy of Khalifa Belqasim Haftar, and excluded him from the list of candidates for the presidential election."

With the support of Arab and Western countries and foreign mercenaries, Haftar's militia launched a military offensive in 2019 to capture the capital Tripoli from the internationally recognized Government of National Accord.

Last week, the Libyan Electoral Commission announced a primary list of 73 candidates for the presidential election and another list of 25 people excluded from running for presidency, including Saif al-Islam, son of late Libyan strongman Muammar Gaddafi.

Libyans hope that the upcoming election will contribute to ending an armed conflict that has plagued the oil-rich country for years.

*Writing by Mahmoud Barakat