Tunisia, Italy urge cease-fire in Libya amid clashes

TUNIS, Tunisia

The leaders of Tunisia and Italy called for a cease-fire in Libya amid recent clashes south of Tripoli.

Tunisian Prime Minister Youssef Chahed, in a joint news conference in Tunis, stressed his government’s “clear” stance on the necessity of a cease-fire, affirming Tunisia’s eagerness to push the diplomatic track, and urged Libyans to sit at the dialogue table.

"Tunisia has been affected by the conflict in Libya since 2011, and there is fear of infiltration of terrorist elements across its border with Libya, which exceeds 500 kilometers (310 miles)," said Chahed.

Italian leader Giuseppe Conte arrived in Tunisia earlier in the day and affirmed the need to give a political settlement a chance, stressing “there is no room for a military solution -- a political process is needed in Libya."

Khalifa Haftar, commander of forces based in eastern Libya, launched a military offensive in early April to capture Tripoli from the UN-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA).

GNA forces re-captured the El-Sbeaa region south of Tripoli from Haftar forces Tuesday, a military source told Anadolu Agency.

Libya has remained beset by turmoil since long-serving ruler Muammar Gaddafi was ousted and killed in a bloody NATO-backed uprising in 2011.

Since then, the oil-rich country has seen the emergence of two rival seats of power: one in eastern Libya, to which Haftar is affiliated, and another in Tripoli, which enjoys UN recognition.

TUNIS, Tunisia

The leaders of Tunisia and Italy called for a cease-fire in Libya amid recent clashes south of Tripoli.

Khalifa Haftar, commander of forces based in eastern Libya, launched a military offensive in early April to capture Tripoli from the UN-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA).

GNA forces re-captured the El-Sbeaa region south of Tripoli from Haftar forces Tuesday, a military source told Anadolu Agency.

Libya has remained beset by turmoil since long-serving ruler Muammar Gaddafi was ousted and killed in a bloody NATO-backed uprising in 2011.

Since then, the oil-rich country has seen the emergence of two rival seats of power: one in eastern Libya, to which Haftar is affiliated, and another in Tripoli, which enjoys UN recognition.