BENGHAZI (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 07th August, 2023) The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) has not provided any solutions for a peace settlement in the country, Spokesman for the Libyan National Army (LNA) Ahmed Al-Mismari told Sputnik on Monday.
"We believe that the UN mission, which has been led by various officials so far, has failed to offer any initiative on the peace settlement in Libya, but is accepting all options (for the settlement), proposed from abroad and complying with will of global powers," the spokesman said,
He also said that the current format is "very far from the concept of intra-Libyan dialogue, intra-Libyan settlement."
Al-Mismari added that 5+5 Joint Military Commission, comprised of representatives of LNA and rival Government of National Accord (GNA), is working toward a merger of the country's armed forces.
"A merger of enforcement structures is outside the committee's jurisdiction, but we are working to include it (in the jurisdiction)," he said.
In course of a meeting in 2021, GNA's Chief of the General Staff Mohamed Al-Haddad and his LNA counterpart, Abdulrazek al-Nadori, declared their intention to merge their military forces. In March 2023, they reaffirmed their commitment and held a meeting with leaders of armed groups from across the country. The UNSMIL said that this was the largest meeting for the last 10 years and that it was an important step toward sustainable peace and development for people across Libya.
At the moment, Libya is ruled by two contending governments. Libya's western part is controlled by the UN-backed GNA sitting in Tripoli, while the eastern part is under the LNA-supported Government of National Stability sitting in Sirte. The south of the country remains in turmoil due to civil unrest, the persisting terrorist threat and armed tribal violence.
UNSMIL was formed in 2011 as a political mission. Its main purposes are to support Libyan transitional authorities, provide mediation in implementing Libyan political agreements, support key country's institutions and to monitor situation with human rights.
