Germany's Merkel asks Libya warlord Haftar to respect ceasefire
There can be no military solution to the conflict, Chancellor Angela Merkel tells militia chief Khalifa Haftar during talks in Berlin.
This picture taken on February 28, 2020 shows people inspecting the damage inside a building following a rocket attack by militias loyal to Khalifa Haftar, at a residential area in Libya's capital Tripoli.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Tuesday met Libyan warlord Khalifa Haftar in Berlin and urged steps to achieve a ceasefire and a political process in the war-torn country, her office said.
Merkel's spokesman Steffen Seibert said in a written statement that the chancellor met Haftar in Berlin to discuss the recent developments in Libya.
"The chancellor has reaffirmed that there can be no military solution to this conflict, and therefore it is necessary to achieve a ceasefire and progress for a political process in line with the conclusions of the Berlin Conference," he stressed.
Berlin conference
Merkel hosted an international Libya conference two months ago in Berlin, where global powers and regional actors expressed commitment to support a ceasefire, respect an arms embargo and support the UN-facilitated political process.
A tentative truce reached in January has been repeatedly violated by the illegal militia loyal to Haftar, killing at least 21 civilians, according to Libya's internationally recognised government.
Libya's legitimate government has been under attack by Haftar's militia since last April, with more than 1,000 people killed in the violence.
Since the ouster of late ruler Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, two seats of power have emerged in Libya: Haftar, who is supported mainly by Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, and the Government of National Accord (GNA), which enjoys UN and international recognition.
Copyright © 2024 TRT World.