Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar is a controversial figure. While some see him as a neccessary strongman to tackle Libya's Islamist groups, other believe he is on track to become a military dictator in the fragile, war-torn state. Here is a timeline of the key moments in his life.

Qatar's Mutaz Essa Barshim competes in the men's high jump during the 2017 IAAF Birmingham Diamond League athletics meeting at Alexander Stadium in Birmingham on August 20, 2017. Oli SCARFF / AFP

Napoli's Algerian defender Faouzi Ghoulam (R) celebrates after scoring a goal during the Italian Serie A football match Hellas Verona vs Napoli at the Marcantonio Bentegodi stadium in Verona on August 19, 2017. MIGUEL MEDINA / AFP

Bronze medallist Syria's Majd Eddin Ghazal poses on the podium during the victory ceremony for the men's high jump athletics event at the 2017 IAAF World Championships at the London Stadium in London on August 13, 2017. Ben STANSALL / AFP

Brazilian superstar Neymar (R) shakes hands with Paris Saint Germain's Qatari president Nasser Al-Khelaifi during a press conference at the Parc des Princes stadium on August 4, 2017 in Paris after agreeing a five-year contract following his world record 222 million euro ($260 million) transfer from Barcelona to PSG. Paris Saint-Germain have signed Brazilian forward Neymar from Barcelona for a world-record transfer fee of 222 million euros (around $264 million), more than doubling the previous record. Neymar said he came to Paris Saint-Germain for a "bigger challenge" in his first ...

Fans of Shabab Rafah football club celebrate their team's victory against Hebron's Ahly al-Khalil football club in the first leg of the Palestine Cup final at the Yarmouk Stadium in Gaza City on August 1, 2017. MAHMUD HAMS / AFP

Saudi Arabia is currently cracking down on Shia "terrorists" in the town of Al-Awamiya in the east of the kingdom, however the reality on the ground is far from what is being reported in local media. The entire town has come under siege, and activists report that the regime is shooting and killing civilians and protesters indiscriminately. Here are some images which purport to be from the town itself. Note: These images cannot be indepedently verifed.

Picture taken with long time exposure shows Race Imboden (L) of the US and Mohamed Essam of Egypt fighting during a qualification duel of the Individual Men's Foil competition at the World Fencing Championships on July 23, 2017 in Leipzig, eastern Germany. ROBERT MICHAEL / AFP

Whether importing sand into the desert, creating a 1,500-meter long sandwich, or deploying snipers in the streets of Tehran to fight a mutant rat, here are eight surprising facts from the Middle East.

Egyptian civil defense extinguish flares during the football match between Zamalek and Al Ahly Tripoli during their African Champions League (CAF) group stage football match at Borg el-Arab Stadium near Alexandria on July 9, 2017. KHALED DESOUKI / AFP

Tehran Art Bureau recently hosted an international 'Trumpism' cartoon and caricature contest, inviting artists from all over the world to submit and exhibit their works in the capital of the Islamic Republic. Cartoons have long been used as a powerful tool for political analysis and activism, and some of the entires speak volumes on how President Trump is percieved in the region. In consideration of Trump's ongoing push to ban Iranians from the US, coupled together with his lack of support for the Nuclear Deal, has resulted in his rather ...