French president Emmanuel Macron met Monday with Libya’s military commander Khalifa Haftar, who promised he would commit to a ceasefire with the country’s rival government.
After the meeting, an official said that Haftar “assured that he was ready to sign the ceasefire document, but this commitment would end if the militias do not respect it”.
Haftar’s forces in Libya, the LNA, have been fighting the UN-recognized GNA since last April. The United Nations’ negotiations aiming to secure a ceasefire and to uphold an arms embargo stalled, resulting in the envoy Ghassan Salame quitting due to stress.
The peace negotiations were held by Turkey and Russia, which support opposing sides in the conflict. However, they have repeatedly been violated, as the factions’ allies kept providing them with arms. The GNA is backed by Turkey, while the LNA is supported by France, the United Arab Emirates, Russia and Egypt.
Last month, Turkey announced it had sent dozens of military trainers and pro-Turkish fighters from Syria to support the GNA.
France has been accused of supporting Haftar’s forces in the past. However, it says it supports neither leader.
Macron meets Haftar in bid to secure Libya ceasefire
EPA-EFE/ETIENNE LAURENT / POOL MAXPPP OUT
Libya Chief of Staff, Marshall Khalifa Haftar (R) shakes hands with French President Emmanuel Macron after the participants of the International Conference on Libya listened to a verbal agreement between the various parties regarding the organization of a democratic election this year at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, 29 May 2018. Libyan factions and the international community on 29 May signed an accord in Paris that paved the way for legislative and presidential elections to be held in the war-torn North African nation by the end of the year.
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