The United Arab Emirates' (UAE) foreign minister, Anwar Gargash, accused on Thursday "extremist militias" controlling the Libyan capital of Tripoli of derailing the search for political solution of the crisis in the North African country
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 02nd May, 2019) The United Arab Emirates' (UAE) foreign minister, Anwar Gargash, accused on Thursday "extremist militias" controlling the Libyan capital of Tripoli of derailing the search for political solution of the crisis in the North African country.
"Priority in Libya to counter extremism/ terrorism & support stability in long drawn out crisis. Abudhabi agreement offered opportunity to support UN led process. Meanwhile extremist militias continue to control Capital & derail search for political solution," Gargash said on Twitter.
Libya has been suffering from unrest since 2011, when its long-time leader Muammar Gaddafi was overthrown and killed. The country is divided between two rival governments, with an elected parliament, backed by the Libyan National Army (LNA) governing the east and the UN- and EU-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) ruling the west from Tripoli.
In May 2017, LNA Commander Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar and GNA head Fayez Sarraj held talks in Abu Dhabi, agreeing to hold snap presidential and general elections within six months, as well as to create a new ruling structure, namely, a presidential state council. However, the agreement was not implemented.
The situation escalated in early April, when the LNA, backed by the eastern government, announced an offensive against Tripoli in a bid to oust what Haftar called terrorist forces from the city. In response, armed forces loyal to the GNA started a military operation against the LNA.
