Libyan Marshal Khalifa Haftar, who launched a military offensive on Tripoli on April 4, said in an interview with Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace on Wednesday (May 22nd) that the conditions for a ceasefire were over. Libya were not reunited, said the Presidency of the Republic.
"The mistrust we know between Libyan actors is stronger than ever today," said a source at the French presidency after the meeting between the head of state and the strongman of East Libyan.
"When the issue of the ceasefire is put on the table, Marshal Haftar's reaction is to ask 'with whom to negotiate a ceasefire today?'," The source said. "He considers that the GNA [government of national unity led by Prime Minister Fayez al-Serraj recognized by the international community, Ed] is completely phagocyted by the militias and that it is not for him to negotiate with the representatives of these militias ".
At the end of the interview in which Emmanuel Macron asked his interlocutor to "make a public step towards the ceasefire", Marshal Haftar "acknowledged that an inclusive political discussion was necessary and that he agreed to participate when these conditions were met, "added the source.
Fighting intensified on Tuesday south of the Libyan capital Tripoli, as UN envoy for Libya Ghassan Salamé warned the Security Council against "the start of a long and protracted war." bloody. "
With AFP