Libya: GNA Sarraj suspends participation in Geneva talks

Text by: RFI Follow

In Libya, the government of national unity (GNA), based in Tripoli and recognized by the United Nations, announced on the night of 18 to 19 February that it was suspending its participation in the ongoing talks in Geneva. The GNA justifies this decision by the repeated violations of the truce in force since January.

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In Libya, the government of national unity (GNA) of Prime Minister Fayez el-Sarraj explains in a press release that it withdraws from these peace talks in Geneva until the adoption of " measures against the aggressor ", Khalifa Haftar whose troops have been trying to take control of Tripoli since last April.

The GNA accuses the rebel forces of repeatedly violating the truce in force since last month. The last episode of violence dates back to February 18 in the early afternoon when around fifteen rockets fell on the ports of Tripoli and Al-Chaab. Three civilians were killed and five others injured, according to spokesman for the Libyan Ministry of Health, Amine al-Hachemi.

"War crimes"

The GNA denounces the “ violations committed before and during the truce ”. The Tripoli government speaks of " documented war crimes " which, it says, require " international arrest warrants ".

The peace talks held in Geneva, Switzerland are therefore, for the moment, suspended. They had started in the presence of five representatives of the GNA, five representatives of the Haftar camp and the United Nations envoy for Libya, Ghassan Salamé, according to a decision taken at the summit organized in Berlin last January 19.

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• Libya
• Fayez el-Sarraj

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