• Libya: fragile truce, diplomacy at work. Serraj flies to Erdogan
  • Libya, Haftar forces announce a truce. Conte meets al Sarraj
  • Libya, Haftar rejects ceasefire request. Spokesman: "Tripoli militias must be wiped out"
  • Libya, Haftar bombards Mitiga airport. Tripoli awaits the truce negotiated by Russia and Turkey

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January 13, 2020 - The head of the Libyan government of national unity, Fayez al-Sarraj, and General Khalifa Haftar, who controls much of eastern Libya, are expected today in Moscow to sign an agreement on the terms of the ceasefire between their troops, entered into force yesterday. It is not yet clear whether the two leaders will meet directly, but will have separate meetings with Russian and Turkish officials. The ceasefire in Libya, wanted by Russia and Turkey, entered into force at midnight yesterday, with the approval of the European Union, the United States, the United Nations and the Arab League. Within hours of its entry into force, the two sides have already accused each other of breaking the ceasefire.

In recent days Ankara has sent its soldiers to defend the government of al-Sarraj, and supports it politically. Within hours of the start of the ceasefire, Al Serraj was already in Istanbul where he met with Turkish President Erdogan. Russia instead supports Haftar's troops with weapons and mercenaries, together with Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Libyan National Army forces loyal to General Haftar launched an offensive on the capital in April 2019 but were unable to conquer the city. Last week, however, they took the country's third largest city, Sirte.

The role of Italy
The ceasefire in Libya, albeit fragile, opens new spaces for diplomacy. So Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte intensifies talks and contacts: Call Vladimir Putin, hear Angela Merkel, talk to Fayez Sarraj, met at Palazzo Chigi. The aim is to ensure that at the Berlin conference, expected at the end of the month, Italy is not excluded from the table, but can save at least part of the role it has played in Libya until recently. Today Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte returns to meet Turkish President Erdoan about four months after the meeting at the General Assembly in New York and a few weeks after the last telephone conversation. Tomorrow the count will be in Egypt to meet the Egyptian President, al-Sisi instead