Tripoli, Libya | AFP | The smell of gunpowder still lingered in the battle-scarred south of Libya’s capital when Hicham Suleiman, a teacher in his 50s, cautiously returned to his home. He left his car some 400 metres (yards) from his house and continued on foot, anxious about booby traps hidden …
Read More »Libya unity government seizes strategic cities from rival Haftar
Tripoli, Libya | AFP | Forces backing Libya’s unity government captured two coastal cities west of Tripoli on Monday in a new blow to military commander Khalifa Haftar a year after he launched an offensive on the capital. They also routed his forces from three smaller cities, sparking rocket attacks on …
Read More »Libya: strongman’s offensive to seize the capital
Tripoli, Libya | AFP | A year ago, Libyan strongman Khalifa Haftar began his offensive to seize the capital Tripoli from the UN-recognised government, a conflict which has left hundreds dead and over 150,000 displaced. Here is a recap. – Haftar orders advance – On April 4, 2019, Haftar orders his …
Read More »Libya marks year of fighting, fears worse to come
Tripoli, Libya | AFP | While the world is gripped by the coronavirus pandemic, war-shattered Libya marks one year Saturday of its latest bloody conflict that is plunging it ever deeper into chaos. Russia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and others have fuelled the fighting in the oil-rich but poverty-stricken North …
Read More »Libya’s UN-backed government suspends participation in Geneva talks
Tripoli, Libya | AFP | Libya’s unity government announced late Tuesday it would halt its participation in UN talks aimed at brokering a lasting ceasefire in the war-torn country where a fragile truce has been repeatedly violated. The pull-out came after a barrage of rocket fire hit a port in the …
Read More »Libya a ‘den of mercenaries’, say war-weary citizens
Tripoli, Libya | AFP | After 10 months of fighting that has torn their country apart, exhausted Libyans voice deep fears and say their fate is no longer in their own hands. The oil-rich North African country has been mired in chaos since a 2011 NATO-backed uprising that killed longtime dictator …
Read More »Rockets target Libya airport ahead of regional peace talks
Tripoli, Libya | AFP | The Libyan capital’s only operational airport has closed again after threats by forces loyal to strongman Khalifa Haftar, dealing another setback to peace efforts as regional foreign ministers prepare to meet in Algeria Thursday. The airport has been hit multiple times since the start of a …
Read More »Libya in chaos since 2011 overthrow of Kadhafi
Tripoli, Libya | AFP | A nine-month offensive by Libyan strongman Khalifa Haftar to seize the capital from the UN-recognised government has left hundreds dead and dragged in regional and world powers. As world powers push efforts for a ceasefire in the oil-rich country, with a peace conference held in Berlin …
Read More »Libyan state oil firm warns against export blockade
Tripoli, Libya | AFP | Libya’s National Oil Company warned Friday against threats to block oil exports, the war-torn country’s main income source, two days before a Berlin conference aimed at relaunching a peace process. Tribes close to eastern Libya-based military strongman Khalifa Haftar had called for a blockade of coastal …
Read More »Libya strongman Haftar in Greece for talks ahead of peace meeting
Athens, Greece | AFP | Libyan military strongman Khalifa Haftar will hold talks in Athens on Friday, days ahead of a peace conference in Berlin which he and the head of Tripoli’s UN-recognised government Fayez al-Sarraj are expected to attend. The talks come as world powers step up efforts for a …
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