Libya: Germany calls on Haftar to end military operations

BERLIN

Germany on Friday called for an immediate end to military operations in Libya, after forces loyal to commander Khalifa Haftar launched an offensive to take capital Tripoli from the UN-backed government.

Chancellor Angela Merkel’s spokesman told a news conference in Berlin that the German government was gravely concerned about military escalation in Libya.

“We are calling on those responsible to immediately end their military operations and refrain from any rhetoric that could further escalate the situation,” Steffen Seibert said.

He also reaffirmed Germany’s strong support to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres’ efforts for a political solution to the conflict.

“We have to clearly state that there can be no military solution in Libya. Therefore, we will continue to support the ongoing efforts by the UN Secretary General and his special envoy [Ghassan] Salame to prevent a further escalation and achieve progress in the political process,” he said.

Seibert also noted that the UN Security Council was called for an emergency meeting to discuss the rising tensions in Libya.

Military commander Haftar on Thursday launched a campaign to capture Tripoli, where Libya’s UN-backed unity government is headquartered.

Fayez al-Sarraj, head of the Tripoli-based government, ordered the government’s security forces to “prepare for -- and respond to -- any threats aimed at destabilizing the region”.

Libya has remained beset by turmoil since 2011, when a bloody NATO-backed uprising led to the ouster and death of President Muammar Gaddafi after four decades in power.

Since then, the country’s stark political divisions have yielded two rival seats of power: one in the eastern city of Al-Bayda, to which Haftar is linked, and another in Tripoli.