Khalifa haftar
Turkey says will retaliate against any attack by east Libya strongman
Turkey's defence minister Hulusi Akar's comments come days after Khalifa Haftar said his forces would ‘prepare to drive out the occupier by faith, will, and...
The UN hopes the agreement will give fresh impetus to political and economic talks taking place in a parallel process.
Egypt, alongside the United Arab Emirates and Russia, backs ex-Gaddafi general Khalifa Haftar, who abandoned an offensive on the capital last month after Turkey stepped up support for Tripoli.
In a resolution passed late Monday, the legislature in the eastern city of Tobruk authorised 'Egyptian armed forces to intervene to protect the national security of Libya and Egypt if they see an imminent danger to both our countries'.
Turkey and Russia failed to convince Haftar on Monday to sign a binding truce to halt his nine-month campaign to try to conquer the Libyan capital from forces aligned with the internationally recognised government.
Khalifa Haftar's self-styled Libyan National Army launched an offensive in April to take the capital from the internationally recognised Government of National Accord, making rapid gains before becoming stalled on the edge of the capital.
UN Libya envoy Ghassan Salame last month unveiled plans for an international conference to bring together foreign powers backing rival groups on the ground, without naming a venue.
Haftar launched an offensive to take Libya's capital in early April, but encountered stiff resistance, resulting in months of stalemate in southern Tripoli's outskirts.
The Government of National Accord said on its Facebook page it was 'concerned over reports, confirmed by the UN and the media, on preparations for a new military escalation'.
Dozens of pro-Haftar fighters were killed in the clashes some 100 kilometres south of the capital and at least 18 taken prisoner, a Government of National Accord spokesman said.
African Union commission chair Moussa Faki will be there along with the Presidents of Chad, Djibouti, Rwanda, DRC and Somalia.
The Libyan National Army force loyal to commander Khalifa Haftar started an offensive two weeks ago but has been unable to breach the government’s southern defenses.
President Donald Trump turned things on their head this week praising Khalifa Haftar for fighting terrorism and protecting Libya’s oil reserve.
The move marked the first evacuation of refugees and migrants out of Libya since fighting escalated in Tripoli two weeks ago, the UN Refugee Agency said.
Civilians have just gone through a two-week assault by commander Khalifa Haftar’s forces to take Libya’s capital from an internationally backed government.
After Britain circulated the text late Monday, a first round of negotiations was held during which Russia raised objections to references criticizing Haftar, diplomats said.
The UN mission in Libya called on all armed parties to respect a humanitarian truce to secure the evacuation of wounded and civilians by rescue teams and the Libyan Red Crescent.
His appeal was echoed by the United States, Britain, France, Italy and the United Arab Emirates.
The attack took place near Traghen, 902 kilometres south of Tripoli and about 400 kilometres north of the border with Chad.