The President of the European Parliament David Sassoli is scheduled to meet Fayez al-Sarraj, the Prime Minister of Libya’s United Nations-backed Government of National Accord for talks.
A statement from the E.U. said the two leaders were due to meet in Brussels, where al-Sarraj traveled to meet with various leaders of the bloc.
Sassoli’s meeting with al-Sarraj comes amid rising tension in the North African country following the deployment of Turkish troops.
Earlier this week, Foreign Ministers from the U.K., France, Germany and Italy warned “external actors” to stay out of the Libyan conflict, urging the warring factions to “return to negotiations.”
In a joint statement released on Tuesday, the three ministers said the Libyan crisis would not be solved by a military intervention, adding that such a move would only worsen the situation.
Libya has been dogged by war since December 2011, and the situation heightened in early 2019 when self-styled Gen. Hafter pledged to take over Tripoli from the U.N.-backed government.
Hafter announced in early December a final push to take Tripoli from Sarraj’s government, unleashing heavy clashes on the southern edges of the city.
Since 2011, the Libyan war has killed thousands and displaced millions as militant groups and human trafficking cells sought to impose their command in various regions across the country.
Last week, France and Egypt called for the “greatest restraint” by Libyan and international authorities to avoid an escalation of the conflict that has rocked the country for months.
