European countries have urged Libya’s warring factions to work towards lasting peace in the North African country.
French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Merkel and Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte made the call in a joint statement after meeting on the sidelines of a European Union summit in Brussels.
The three heads of government asked the Libyan sides to “resume with commitment a credible negotiation under the aegis of the United Nations,” ahead of a scheduled conference in Berlin which will involve Libyan and regional players.
In their statement, the European leaders urged “all Libyan and international parties to refrain from undertaking military actions, to genuinely commit themselves to an overall and lasting cessation of hostilities and to resume a credible commitment negotiated under the auspices of the United Nations.”
They expressed their full support to the UN and to the action of the Special Representative of the Secretary General of the United Nations, Ghassan Salamé.
The call by Macron, Merkel and Conte comes following an announcement by Strongman Khalifa Haftar of a “decisive battle” to capture the capital, Tripoli.
“Today, we announce the decisive battle and the advancement towards the heart of the capital to set it free … advance now our heroes,” Haftar said in a televised speech on Thursday.
His troops are fighting for control of the capital from the U.N.-backed government led by Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj.
Libya has been dogged by violence since 2011, following the ouster and death of former president Muammar Gaddafi.
The war has killed thousands and displaced millions as militant groups and human trafficking cells seek to impose their command in various regions across the country.
The UN has led calls for dialogue between the warring factions in order to stop the war and put the country on a recovery path.
(With input from Bloomberg)
