The United Nations Support Mission in Libya condemned the kidnapping of a government official in Tripoli, while the US envoy to Libya, Richard Norland, visited Cairo on Wednesday to meet with retired Major General Khalifa Haftar and Egyptian officials.
The United Nations Support Mission in Libya expressed its deep concern about the kidnapping and disappearance of Reda Faraj Al-Fraites, Director of the Office of the First Deputy Prime Minister in the Government of National Unity.
The UN mission called on the Libyan authorities to fully investigate all alleged violations of international human rights and humanitarian law.
It stated that it had documented a number of cases of illegal arrest and detention, enforced disappearance, torture and extrajudicial killing of citizens, officials, journalists, members of civil society and human rights defenders last year, according to the statement.
And last Sunday, the employees of the Cabinet Office of the National Unity Government in the city of Benghazi (in the east of the country) called on the head of the transitional government, Abdel Hamid al-Dabaiba, to reveal the circumstances of the kidnapping of their prime minister, Reda al-Freites, and to hold the responsible party accountable.
Unidentified gunmen kidnapped Al-Freitais with his colleague, after he visited the headquarters of the National Unity Government in Tripoli.
Jan Kubis, the special envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General and head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya, said he was "concerned that individuals who had a role in supporting Libya's democratic transition and state institutions were being targeted in this way."
He warned that these practices may have serious repercussions on the peace and reconciliation process, and on the complete unification of national institutions.
American visit
In a related context, the US Embassy in Libya announced on Tuesday that its country's ambassador and envoy to Libya, Richard Norland, will visit the Egyptian capital, Cairo, on August 11 and 12, to meet with retired Major General Khalifa Haftar and Egyptian officials.
The embassy said - in a series of tweets on Twitter - that this meeting comes within the framework of American efforts to support the Libyan parliamentary and presidential elections scheduled for next December.
Similar to recent contacts with key Libyan figures, Ambassador Norland continues to focus on the urgency of supporting the difficult compromises needed to create the constitutional basis and legal framework now required in order to hold elections on December 24.
"The United States supports the right of the Libyan people to choose their leaders through a free and fair democratic process, and calls on key figures to use their influence at this critical stage to do what is best for all Libyans."
For years, the oil-rich country suffered from armed conflict;
With the support of Arab and Western countries, mercenaries and foreign fighters, the militia of retired Major General Khalifa Haftar fought the former internationally recognized Government of National Accord.
Months ago, Libya witnessed a political breakthrough under the auspices of the United Nations;
On March 16, an elected transitional authority, comprising a unity government and a presidential council, assumed its duties to lead the country to parliamentary and presidential elections on December 24.
But Haftar is still working in isolation from the legitimate government, and leads an armed militia that controls many areas, and calls himself the "Commander-in-Chief of the Libyan National Army", quarreling with the Presidential Council in its competencies.