All news

Moscow urges political forces in Libya to organize work of national power bodies

MOSCOW, May 5. /TASS/. Moscow calls on the political forces in Libya to organize the work of the national bodies of power, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Thursday after a meeting of the Russian president's special envoy for the Middle East and Africa, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov with Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General and head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), Martin Kobler.

"There was a detailed exchange of views on the situation in Libya with emphasis on various aspects of the implementation of the intra-Libyan political agreement, including the establishment of a national accord government in Libya," the ministry said. "In this context the sides stressed the importance of implementing the UN Security Council resolution formalizing the Skhirat agreements as a key element of the internal Libyan conflict settlement."

The Russian side "confirmed the importance of consolidating the Libyan political forces with the aim of the establishment of security and law and order in the country, including the organization of effective counteraction to terrorist groups, as well as the creation of favorable conditions for the start of full-fledged work of the newly established Libyan national government agencies."

Libya has struggled to rebuild state institutions amid rising violence since the ouster and subsequent death of Colonel Muammar al-Qaddafi in October 2011. The strength of rebel militias has increased - approximately 1,700 armed groups, including fighters loyal to the Islamic State - especially since the attack on the US consulate in Benghazi on September 11, 2012.

On March 30, 2016, the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) arrived in the Libyan capital of Tripoli. The group of Libyan lawmakers, led by Fayez al-Sarraj, had previously been based in Tunisia. On April 7, the rival Tripoli-based National Salvation government, or former the General National Congress (GNC), rejected the GNA’s transition, contradicting its earlier acceptance of the new government taking over.