Battle for Power in Libya Reaches the Capital Tripoli

• 04.07.2019, 11:03
•  Near East,  World right now,  World

AFP

The Libyan National Army says it has advanced into the outskirts of Tripoli as it continues its thrust against the internationally recognised government, Euronews reports.

Fighting has been reported near the former international airport, which the LNA claims now to control.

"I'm leaving Libya with deep concern and with a heavy heart,” said Antionio Guterres. “I still hope that it would be possible to avoid bloody confrontation in and around Tripoli and the United Nation will remain available to facilitate any political solution able to unify the Libyan institutions."

The Prime Minister of Libya Fayez al-Serra was filmed preparing the defence of the city. The LNA controls the East of Libya, running a parallel administration to that of the Tripoli government.

Calling for immediate de-escalation, the governments of the US, UAE, France, Italy and UK issued a statement expressing their deep concern about the possibility of conflict.

“At this sensitive moment in Libya’s transition, military posturing and threats of unilateral action only risk propelling Libya back toward chaos,” they said in a joint statement released in Washington by the State Department. “We strongly believe that there is no military solution to the Libya conflict.”

As Haftar's forces advanced on Friday, G7 foreign ministers said that they were strongly opposed to military action in Libya and implicitly warned the easter Libyan commander against continuing his advance on the capital.