On 15 August, a number of Misrata revolutionary fighters announced the reactivation of the Misrata Military Council and the formation of a higher military council that represents all military councils and supports state institutions. All brigades and battalions of the city shall be controlled via the Military Council. The statement noted that it was agreed to work to unify the ranks and achieve the goals of the revolution through civilian rule and the peaceful transfer of power away from family and military rule, probably referring to the Dabaiba and Haftar clans. It was agreed to work on revitalizing the role of the High National Electoral Commission, achieving national sovereignty and expelling ‘foreign forces’. They said, this decision was taken due to the current circumstances and the dangerous situation Libya is going through.
On 18 August, the Misrata-led ‘Gathering of Libyan Revolutionary Leaders’ announced its support for the activation of the Misrata Military Council and called on the other military councils in all Libyan cities to re-activate their councils and work to put the ‘revolution back on track’. The statement said that this decision was caused by the ‘absurdity of the existing authorities’ and by the military developments and suspicious movements in eastern, western and southern Libya, as well as the division in the High State Council (HSC), which almost led to the collapse of the Council. It warned that the division of the HSC makes the House of Representatives (HoR) uniquely capable of issuing absurd laws and decisions, the most recent of which is depriving the Presidential Council of the status of Supreme Commander and granting this role to the Chair of the HoR. This indicates a war or a military coup.