Libyan newspaper highlights fears of violence after armed clashes in Tripoli
Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - A Libyan newspaper has highlighted the deadly clashes between armed groups in Tripoli and Misrata, about 220 km east of the Libyan capital, between supporters of Libya's two rival prime ministers, saying they have heightened fears of a general conflagration in the country.
These, Al-Wasat newspaper wrote, have increased fears of the possibility of breaking the ceasefire signed in 2020.
Under the headline: "Hot Libyan summer portends return to arms", Al-Wasat, a weekly newspaper published in Cairo, Egypt, reported that there are currently serious fears among Libyans that the ceasefire agreement may collapse.
The country would then slide into violence between groups, some affiliated with the Government of National Unity (GNU) and the Presidential Council, and others loyal to the Government of National Stability (GNS) appointed by the eastern-based Parliament.
The newspaper reported that two days ago, the leaders of these groups met in Tripoli and agreed, in principle, to calm down and avoid an armed confrontation.
According to the newspaper, the new security tension may have led to the postponement of a major military meeting in the eastern city of Benghazi.
This followed the postponement of a visit, the first of its kind, by the chief of staff of the forces affiliated to the government of Prime Minister Abdelhamid Al-Dbaiba, General Mohamed Al-Haddad, accompanied by members of the Military Commission for the Western Region.
This situation made the security tension dominate the UN Security Council meeting, where Libya's Permanent Representative to the UN, Taher Al-Sonni, said radical solutions to the crisis must be found, away from external interference and political manoeuvring. He then accused the Security Council of incompetence due to its division on the Libyan file.
Al-Sonni said: "So far, since the beginning of the crisis in Libya, more than 172 meetings have taken place in the Security Council, 27 UN reports, 19 Panel of Experts reports and 23 International Criminal Court reports, and what is the result? Nothing."
The newspaper also quoted Under-Secretary-General for African Affairs, Martha Ama Akiya Pobee, as telling the Security Council on Monday that as armed groups continue to position themselves in support of both parties to the conflict, the risk of escalation is increasing, in a situation that is still very volatile.
-0- PANA BY/IS/BBA/MA 31July2022
