Tripoli , Libya ( CNN ) -- A retired Libyan general whose movement launched an assault on Islamist militias in Benghazi and demanded the suspension of parliament has called for a new council to take over the running of the country . Khalifa Haftar said Wednesday that the General National Congress , the interim parliament , had failed the people and that its mismanagement of the country had turned Libya into `` a state sponsor of terror ... and a hideout for terrorists . '' He made his call for a new , civilian council to take its place during a televised news conference in Benghazi . On Sunday , armed men claiming allegiance to Haftar 's newly formed movement , known as the Libyan National Army , stormed parliament and announced they had suspended it . Haftar said Wednesday that since the parliament had refused to `` fulfill the demands of the people , '' he was asking the Higher Judicial Council to appoint a civilian council to lead the country , in the interests of political stability and security . This council , he said , would have three main tasks : appointing a caretaker emergency government , overseeing the upcoming parliamentary elections and handing over power to the new parliament . The country 's electoral commission announced that elections would be held next month , the state news agency LANA reported Tuesday , in what seemed to be a move to try to ease tensions that drove Libya to the brink in recent days . Haftar said his forces would secure the country during the transitional period and after that . The declared goal of the LNA is to eradicate Islamist militants from Libya , including Ansar al-Sharia -- the group blamed for the September 11 , 2012 deadly attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi . Air force , navy chiefs back Haftar 's movement . This week , Haftar 's so-called `` Operation Dignity , '' which he has described as an open-ended war on terrorism in Libya , seemed to gain more support from military units , officials and armed groups across the country . Haftar 's men last week launched a land and air offensive against the Benghazi bases of Ansar al-Sharia and other Islamist groups with ties to the government in Tripoli . The resulting battle killed 75 people and wounded 141 more . The chiefs of staff of the Libyan Air Force and the navy have announced they are endorsing Operation Dignity . According to LANA , the headquarters of the chief of staff of the air force came under attack by unknown gunmen on Tuesday night , a short while after the announcement was made . There were no reported casualties in the attack , but damage was caused and offices looted and ransacked . On Wednesday morning , the navy chief survived an assassination attempt in Tripoli when a car with unknown assailants opened fire on his convoy . Gen. Hasan Abushnaq , his two guards and driver sustained minor injuries in the attack . Those who oppose Haftar , including the government and members of the General National Congress , have accused him of a `` coup attempt . '' His call for a `` civilian '' council to run the country appeared to be a response to these accusations , made amid much speculation about his political ambitions . Asked whether his movement was receiving support from Arab Gulf states or any other country , Haftar said they were depending only on `` God and the Libyan people . '' Some see Haftar 's campaign as an opportunistic strategy capitalizing on Libyans ' growing discontent with a weak central government and the deteriorating security situation in the country . Haftar was once a general in the Libyan army under dictator Moammar Gadhafi but had a falling out with him and emigrated to the United States , where he lived for almost 20 years . He returned in 2011 to participate in the revolution to overthrow Gadhafi . He has since criticized the government for not getting a grip on violence , particularly from Islamist groups . Reflecting the continuing state of lawlessness and chaos , explosions and gunfire echoed across the capital in the early hours of Wednesday . Eyewitnesses said a number of rockets hit areas in southern and eastern Tripoli . However , it was not clear who was involved in the attacks or whether there were casualties in what appeared to be inter-militia fighting , something not uncommon in the city .
Retired Libyan general calls for new , civilian council to replace interim parliament . Khalifa Haftar says interim parliament has turned Libya into `` a state sponsor of terror '' Libya 's electoral commission said this week that elections would be held next month . The self-declared Libyan National Army is seeking to eradicate Islamist militias from Libya .