Libya's Aguila Saleh, speaker of the Tobruk-based House of Representatives, said on Saturday that the Libyan people will head to the polls after the capital Tripoli is liberated.

He called on Libyans to stand by the Libyan National Army (LNA) led by Khalifa Haftar.

Saleh’s statement came during a parliamentary session held in Benghazi in eastern Libya, which is under the control of Haftar’s forces.

Saleh said: “We will be going to the polls after liberating Tripoli,” calling on the international community to protect Libya’s money and to lift the weapons embargo on the National Army.

He also pointed out Libya’s keenness to cooperate with the international community to combat terrorism.

Haftar, 75, a former general in Gaddafi’s army who later joined the revolt against him, moved his troops out of their eastern stronghold to take the oil-rich desert south earlier this year before sweeping up to Tripoli at the start of April.

But Serraj’s national accord government has managed to halt the advance for now, aided by forces with machine-guns on pickups and steel containers across the road into Tripoli.

The Tripoli government says it has taken nearly 200 prisoners from Haftar’s forces, according to Reuters.

The United Nations, which had hoped to organize a national conference this month bringing the rival eastern and western administrations together to organize an election, has called for a ceasefire.

The United States, G7 bloc of wealthy nations and European Union have also urged the LNA to halt its offensive.

Tripoli-based Foreign Minister Mohamed Siyala urged the UN Security Council to call on Haftar to halt the advance.

The UN health agency said it fears outbreaks of tuberculosis, measles and diarrhoea due to poor sanitation, especially among those displaced.

Libya has been gripped by conflict and paralyzed by political deadlock since the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. </s> A military helicopter crashed in eastern Libya on Tuesday, killing five people including officers loyal to authorities that have refused to cede power to a unity government, parliament said.

It was not immediately clear why the aircraft came down.

The victims included General Idris Yunis al-Dressi, chief of staff for Aguila Saleh, speaker of the internationally recognised parliament based in Tobruk in eastern Libya.

His son Ahmed Idris al-Dressi, who worked in the parliament, was also killed along with two air force colonels and one lieutenant.

The four officers belonged to the forces under the command of military strongman Khalifa Haftar, who has refused to get behind a UN-backed unity government and supports the parallel authority based in eastern Libya near the border with Egypt aligned with the Tobruk parliament.

According to a statement posted on parliament's website, the helicopter was returning from an official visit to Ras Lanuf, a key oil export terminal.

Last week, forces led by Haftar seized Ras Lanuf and three other ports in the so-called "oil crescent".

They later handed them over to the National Oil Corporation.

On Sunday fighters loyal to the unity government launched an attack aimed at retaking two of the ports but were repelled. </s> BENGHAZI, Libya/TRIPOLI (Reuters) - Eastern Libyan forces will pursue their advance on the capital Tripoli, the head of the eastern parliament in the divided country said on Saturday, despite international calls for a halt in an offensive that risks causing many civilian casualties.

President of the eastern Libyan House of Representatives Aguila Saleh. REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane

His comments came an eastern air strike hit the yard of a school on the southern outskirts of Tripoli, where eastern forces have been confronted by forces allied to Prime Minister Fayez al-Serraj’s internationally recognised government.

In a possible new front, the eastern Libya National Army (LNA) was readying a unit to move to the Es Sider and Ras Lanuf oil ports, Libya’s biggest, on the eastern coast, anticipating an attack from an armed group allied to Serraj, eastern military officials said.

“The force will strengthen the protection of the ports,” one official said, asking not to be named.

Last week the European Union had called on the LNA to stop its attacks, having agreed on a statement after France and Italy sparred over how to handle the conflict.

But the eastern parliament head said they would press an offensive launched a week ago under military commander Khalifa Haftar, the latest outbreak of a cycle of conflict since the 2011 overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi.

“We need to get rid of militias and terrorist groups,” Aguila Saleh, head of the House of Representatives allied to Haftar, said using a reference eastern officials often make to describe forces allied to the Tripoli government, which relies on support from several armed groups.

“We assure the residents of Tripoli that the campaign to liberate Tripoli will be limited and not violate any freedoms but restore security and fight terrorism,” Saleh told lawmakers in a session in the main eastern city of Benghazi.

For its part the Tripoli government will agree to a ceasefire only if the LNA troops return back east, government spokesman Mohanad Younes told reporters.

Forces loyal to al-Serraj’s government have so far kept the eastern offensive at bay. Fierce fighting has broken out around a disused former airport about 11 km (7 miles) from the centre.

An eastern military source said a warplane belonging to the LNA had struck a military camp in an eastern Tripoli suburb.

In a separate strike the yard of a primary school was hit, a Reuters reporter at the scene said. A LNA official said the plane had targeted a camp of Serraj’s forces.

Saleh also said the United Nations mission to Libya and Serraj’s government had been controlled by armed groups and had failed to expel them from the capital, and promised Libya would hold long-delayed elections after the Tripoli operation ends.

Haftar’s offensive had surprised the United Nations, which had been planning to hold a national conference on April 14 to prepare Libya for elections.

The latest battle had by Friday killed 75 people, mainly fighters but including 17 civilians, and wounded another 323, according to U.N. tallies. Some 13,625 people have been forced out of their homes.

As well as the humanitarian cost, the conflict threatens to disrupt oil supplies, boost migration to Europe, scupper a U.N. peace plan, and allow Islamist militants to exploit the chaos.

Haftar, 75, a former general in Gaddafi’s army who later joined the revolt against him, moved his troops out of their eastern stronghold to take the oil-rich desert south earlier this year, before sweeping up to Tripoli at the start of April. </s> Who agreed to the deal?
• Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj, (above second left) head of the UN-backed unity government based in the capital, Tripoli
• Khalifa Haftar, (above right) the 75-year-old military strongman , whose rival Libyan National Army fighters dominate the country's east
• Aguila Saleh Issa, (above second right) the parliament speaker based in the eastern city of Tobruk, who opposes the UN-backed administration
• Khalid al-Mishri, (above left) head of the High Council of State, Libya's highest consultative body formed from the 2012 parliament. </s> MOSCOW – Russia calls on warring parties in Libya to return to the negotiating table and resolve disputes peacefully. Lev Dengov, head of the contact group on intra-Libyan settlement at the Foreign Ministry and the State Duma, explained to Russian media.

The diplomat also said that the aggravation of the situation occurred two weeks before the planned conference. Representatives of Tripoli, headed by the leader of the Government of National Accord Faiz Sarraj, and delegates from the Parliament in Tobruk under the leadership of the Commander of the Libyan National Army (LNA) Khalifa Haftar were invited. The special representative noted that Libyans are seriously afraid of foreign intervention and the repetition of the 2011 scenario.

The escalation of the situation in Libya began on April 4 – General Khalifa Haftar, who heads the country’s eastern provinces controlled by the national government in Tobruk, announced the start of a military “operation to liberate Tripoli” and called on residents of the city to voluntarily surrender and go to his side.

After the video message, in which Khalifa Haftar called upon the people of Tripoli to “lay down their arms and raise the white flag,” Prime Minister Faiz Sarraj ordered the troops to be fully operational in order to protect civilians. Military aircraft were scrambled.

As Russian contact-group representative Lev Dengov explains, Moscow is concerned about the aggravation of the situation and calls on both sides to resolve the disputes that have arisen by peaceful means.

“We urge Tobruk and Tripoli to avoid bloodshed.”Throughout this time, our country has maintained contacts with all parties to the conflict – with representatives of Tobruk, Tripoli, and Misurata. Therefore, to say that we support any one side is unfair. We urge the parties to return to a productive peaceful dialogue, to the positions stated during the Palermo conference,” the special representative said.

“The most important thing is to prevent foreign intervention so that the conflict can be resolved without the involvement of third actors,” he added.

“There is a growing concern among the residents of Tripoli that the events of eight years ago may repeat,” the politician said.

FRN assesses that these comments come as a form of diplomatic cover. While it is certainly logical that Russia does not want foreign intervention outside of their own efforts, it is also clear that Russia has overall be en favoring Haftar’s forces from Tobruk. He has already united the vast majority of Libya, and Sirte, Misurata, and Tripoli remain the only areas in control of Sarraj. Sarraj is favored by the west, and is recognized by the UN. However, he is backed by Al Qaeda-type formations, and has been unable to bring stability, let alone economic growth to the war-torn country. This creates a delicate scenario for Russia.

Prior to this, on April 4, speaking at the Libyan Youth Forum, General Haftar said that the political crisis in the country would be resolved already this month by creating a single government. At the time however, experts did not accept the words of Haftar as a possible threat to the authorities in Tripoli – in mid-April it was planned to hold a national conference at which talks were expected between representatives of the East, the West, as well as southern provinces and Misurata, the third largest force in the country, not controlled by Sarraj, nor Haftar. However, it is understood that Misurata sees their fate tied to Sarraj and Tripoli. Should Tripoli be unified with the rest of Libya under Haftar, then Misurata would have no options.

In February, Haftar’s forces seized the largest oil field in Libya, al-Sharara, without encountering much resistance from Tripoli or Misurata. Then there were reports in the press that the army was moving to the south-west of the country, subordinating more and more new areas. Given that the LNA already controls most of the coast, where large export terminals are located, it is safe to say that deliveries of Libyan oil abroad are now almost completely in the hands of Haftar.

The intervention never stopped. “American aviation still strikes at terrorist formations,” the political scientist noted. – This situation is unstable, since there are two centers of power and many different groups that have their own armed structures. And it can not last forever. Will Haftar have enough strength to extend control to the whole country? Before that, nobody could do it.

According to Senator Alexei Pushkov, due to the multiplicity of centers of power in Libya, virtually no Western state has enough authority in Libyan affairs in order to get some kind of compromise from them.

The last round of peace talks between the two opposing camps was held in late February. Then, in the UAE capital Abu Dhabi, Faiz Saraj and Khalifa Haftar held talks, at which the parties addressed the most important issues of intra-Libyan settlement. In particular, they reaffirmed their commitment to hold national parliamentary elections in the spring. This idea was expressed during last year’s Palermo Conference by the UN Special Representative for Libya Gassan Salame. It was supposed that the elections would put an end to the existing dual power in the country – according to their results a single parliament was to be formed.

The protracted crisis in Libya is a consequence of the direct and illegal intervention of NATO in the affairs of the country, which led to chaos, said Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

“As a result, this country was plunged into chaos, became a source of regional instability, a hotbed of terrorism,” said Lavrov in an interview with the Egyptian newspaper Al-Ahram before going to Cairo.

The situation in Libya again escalated in early April. The commander of the Libyan National Army, Marshal Khalifa Haftar, announced the launch of an offensive on Tripoli to dismiss the government of national consensus led by Fayez Sarraj, which he considers terrorist.

In turn, in the Libyan capital declared full combat readiness.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at a press conference in Tripoli called on the parties to avoid military clashes.

The UN Security Council supported the Secretary General and announced his intention to bring to justice those responsible for the escalation of the conflict.

In 2011, the United States and the European Union supported the Libyan rebels and promoted the coup d’etat “the Arab spring”, in which the Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi was killed, and in terms of the number of victims this conflict became the largest in the Middle East, not counting the war in Syria.

So far, clashes continue in the country, besides, dual power has reigned there – a parliament elected by the people sits in the eastern city of Tobruk, and the government of Sarraj, formed with the support of the United Nations and Europe, sits in Tripoli. </s> The gathering of Libyan leaders in Paris this week marked a positive step for the violence-wracked country, but analysts warn the absence of key players could make the optimism short-lived.

The Tuesday meeting hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron brought together four leaders representing most -- but notably not all -- of Libya's rival factions.

Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj, head of the UN-backed unity government in Tripoli, was at the table along with military strongman Khalifa Haftar, whose rival Libyan National Army dominates the country's east.

Also present were Aguila Saleh Issa, the parliament speaker based in the eastern city of Tobruk, and Khalid Al-Mishri, the newly elected head of the High Council of State.

The leaders dispute each other's legitimacy and are entwined with numerous militias who are known to switch their allegiances.

Despite the stark differences, the four leaders agreed to hold parliamentary and presidential elections on December 10 and vowed to respect the results.

They also said they would work towards phasing out parallel institutions and unifying the Libyan Central Bank.

In a sign of the fragility of such promises, the Libyans verbally agreed on the proposals rather than formally signing a text.

Rachid Khechana, director of the Mediterranean Centre for Libyan Studies, said a signature on paper does not necessary mean action.

"Even if the declaration had been signed, we know how many (Libyan) politicians, in particular MPs, have failed to uphold their commitment," he said, citing a 2015 Libya deal agreed in Morocco which numerous signatories did not implement.

Khechana highlighted the absence in Paris of "groups and networks of great influence, including the tribal chiefs and the armed groups".

In western Libya, "some of these groups are more influential than the government," he added, in reference to the UN-backed Government of National Accord.

Federica Saini Fasanotti, from the Brookings Institution in Washington, agreed "the solution in Libya is strictly connected to the armed groups".

As long as the international community continues to negotiate with political leaders "who are not fully recognised on the ground... the situation in Libya won't be solved," she said.

The International Crisis Group drew on the absence of a delegation from the city of Misrata, home to the most powerful armed groups in western Libya.

GNA deputy premier Ahmed Maiteeq, who represents Misrata, refused to attend the Paris meeting according to one of his advisers.

Ibrahim Ben Rjab, a senior military figure in the Misrata militia, told AFP the city had boycotted the meeting in protest at the presence of Haftar whom they accuse of wanting to establish a dictatorship.

While there are "some positive points" to come out of Paris, he said the agreement has no official status and "ultimately is not worth anything because it hasn't been signed".

Fathi Bashagha, a Misrata lawmaker, said that "the outcome of the Paris meeting is good," but the pledges "remain words and wishes on paper, in the absence of a clear mechanism for applying them".

Analysts remain sceptical that Libya will go to the polls in December, despite leaders in Paris agreeing to adopt the necessary laws by September 16.

"The legal framework for holding elections remains opaque," said Human Rights Watch.

Staging elections is "unrealistic from a strictly technical perspective," said Crisis Group.

"Neither the legal nor the constitutional framework is in place -- hurdles that may prove impossible to overcome within a short timeframe," the organisation added. </s> Fighting in Tripoli intensified drastically on Wednesday as rival armies brought tanks and multiple rocket-launch systems to bear in the deadly struggle for control of the Libyan capital.

The escalation came as Fayez al-Sarraj, the prime minister of the internationally recognised Government of National Accord, issued an address to the nation urging Libyans to defend the capital city from renegade general Khalifa Haftar’s self-styled Libyan National Army.

In an address distributed on Wednesday afternoon, Mr Serraj accused Gen Haftar of sabotaging months of painstaking peace negotiations and said he would resist the general’s “coup d’etat” with “firmness and strength”.

“We have extended our hand of peace, yet forces of Haftar have declared war on our cities and capital,” Mr Serraj said. “Accordingly we have issued our instructions and announced the state of general mobilisation for all Libyan armed forces and security services.”

In an apparent swipe at Gen Haftar’s multiple foreign backers, he added: "A final word for the countries that support the conflict between Libyans: fear Allah, stop interfering in our affairs and lift your hands off my country." </s> New Delhi, Apr 07: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Sunday said that India has evacuated its entire contingent of peacekeeping forces comprising 15 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel from Tripoli after the situation there "suddenly worsened".

Taking to Twitter, Swaraj described the situation,''The situation in Libya has suddenly worsened. There is fighting in Tripoli. Indian Embassy in Tunisia @IndiainTunisia has evacuated the entire contingent of 15 CRPF personnel yesterday itself. I appreciate the excellent work by the Indian Embassy in Tunisia. #Libya.''

She said "Indian Ambassador in Tunisia has the concurrent charge of Libya. CRPF contingent is deployed as the Peacekeeping force in Tripoli."

Sushma Swaraj also put out the phone numbers of the officials that should be contacted by Indians in Tripoli. She tweeted, "All Indians in distress in Tripoli may please contact Mr.Mehtab on +218916320278 or Mr.Mustafa on +218924201771 or +218912146640."

This came after Eastern Libyan Army Commander Khalifa Hafter on Thursday ordered his forces, the Libyan National Army (LNA), to take over Tripoli - the capital of the United Nations-backed government - amid reports of escalating political tension in Libya.

Haftar has since been accused of violating political agreements concluded under the United Nations by Fayez Sarraj, the Prime Minister of the Tripoli-based UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA).

Even though a deal was signed in 2015 which created the GNA as the legitimate interim Libyan government, it was not wholly implemented due to disagreements with the Tobruk-based parliament.

Stay up to date with our election coverage here </s> According to the Libyan official, the parties have reached an agreement on "finalizing a constitutional base for elections" by September 16.

The international conference on the settlement of the situation in Libya is taking place on May 29 in Paris. The meeting is held under the aegis of the UN with the participation of the head of the Government of National Accord of Libya Fayez al-Sarraj, as well as head of the Libyan National Army Khalifa Haftar, who controls the east of the country.

"Positive that all Libya parties present at Paris conference agreed on the timeline leading to elections in December. Let us hope, and help them in keeping this important commitment," Malta's Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said from inside the meeting.

Libyan Prime Minister Fayez Seraj, eastern-based military commander Khalifa Haftar and the heads of two parliamentary assemblies are attending the talks, which aim to draft a roadmap for elections.

READ MORE: Libya's Haftar Forces Take Control of Entrance to Derna — Spokesman

The country has been in turmoil since the 2011 civil war that resulted in the overthrow of Gaddafi. The eastern part of Syria is governed by its parliament, with headquarters in the city of Tobruk. The parliament is backed by the LNA, which is engaged in the struggle against militants. At the same time, the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA), headed by Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj, operates in the country's west and is headquartered in Tripoli.
Aguila Saleh, the chairman of the Tobruk-based Libyan parliament that rivals the Government of National Accord, stated that the parliament's Libyan National Army will continue advancing on Tripoli in spite of international calls for them to stop the offensive.