US, UAE agree on ceasefire in Libya

LONDON - US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo held a phone conversation with United Arab Emirates Crown Prince of the Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, during which they discussed the necessity of a ceasefire in war-torn Libya.

Pompeo tweeted that he had an important conversation Sheikh Mohamed on increasing regional stability and supporting a lasting UN-brokered ceasefire in Libya.

US State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagos said in a statement added that the two leaders agreed on the need for a ceasefire in Libya and a return to the UN-led political negotiations.

Pompeo also thanked Sheikh Mohammed for his strong partnership with the US in combating the Covid-19 pandemic globally.

The UAE supports political efforts for a ceasefire in Libya and an end the conflict. It condemns the spread of terrorism and extremist groups and the escalation of foreign interventions in the war-ravaged country.

Turkey has been involved in supporting Libyan Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj’s GNA fighters and militias with arms and mercenaries in their fight against military commander Khalifa Haftar’s LNA forces in a clear violation of international agreements related to the arms embargo on Libya.

The UAE, Egypt and Saudi Arabia condemned Ankara's attempts to worsen the situation in Libya instead of finding peaceful solutions to the conflict.

The LNA announced on Thursday it was ‘relocating’ its forces outside of Tripoli following its agreement to resume UN-sponsored ceasefire talks with the Government of National Accord.

“Based on the approval of the General Command of the Libyan Arab Armed Forces to resume its participation in the Ceasefire 5 + 5 committee supervised by the United Nations Support Mission in Libya… the General Command declares that it is relocating its units outside Tripoli with the condition that the other side commit to stopping the violence,” said Major General Ahmed Al-Mesmari in a statement.

“In case of non-compliance with this, the General Command will resume operations and suspend its participation in the 5 + 5 ceasefire committee,” warned Mesmari.

Turkish-backed forces and militias allied to the GNA announced on Thursday they regained control of all of Tripoli's entrance and exit points after taking back the airport.

Sarraj vowed his forces would press on, apparently spurning the ceasefire talks.

“We will in no way give him the opportunity for negotiations,” Sarraj said of Hafter.

“We will continue this struggle until the enemy is totally removed,” he added after a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara.