TRIPOLI (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 03rd May, 2019) Lawmakers at the first session of the Libyan unicameral parliament, loyal to the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA), in Tripoli stood for any initiative to cease hostilities and stop the offensive on the capital led by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, senior lawmaker Sadeq al-Kahiali, who presided the session, told Sputnik.
"We welcome any initiative to end the war, as well as the unification of the Libyans," the lawmaker said.
Al-Kahiali stressed that Tripoli is the capital of all Libyans and all lawmakers were invited to the meeting, not just those from the west of the country.
"This is confirmed by the presence of some lawmakers from the east," he said.
The lawmaker refused to criticize his colleagues who did not attend the meeting due to security reasons or their personal beliefs.
"The meeting took place today with the aim of stopping the military campaign [against Tripoli] and pull out the attacking forces [to the initial positions]. And, of course, it took place in Tripoli, not in the east of the country," he noted.
Earlier the day, a parliamentary source told Sputnik that not all lawmakers attended the session. The source added that a total of 30 lawmakers arrived at the meeting.
Since the overthrow and killing of Libya's long-time leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011 Libya is currently divided into two parts � the internationally recognized and GNA headed by Fayez Sarraj in Tripoli and a parallel administration allied to Haftar in the east of the country.
Tensions flared up in the country in early April. Back then, Haftar launched an offensive to retake Tripoli from the forces loyal to the GNA. The Haftar-led Libyan National Army (LNA) has already recaptured a number of settlements on its way to the capital, including the Tripoli International Airport, located around 20 miles away from the capital.
