Sarraj Criticizes Haftar’s South Libya Operation

FILE PHOTO: Fayez al-Sarraj leaves after an international conference on Libya at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, May 29, 2018. REUTERS/Philippe Wojazer/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Fayez al-Sarraj leaves after an international conference on Libya at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, May 29, 2018. REUTERS/Philippe Wojazer/File Photo
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Sarraj Criticizes Haftar’s South Libya Operation

FILE PHOTO: Fayez al-Sarraj leaves after an international conference on Libya at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, May 29, 2018. REUTERS/Philippe Wojazer/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Fayez al-Sarraj leaves after an international conference on Libya at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, May 29, 2018. REUTERS/Philippe Wojazer/File Photo

Head of the Government of National Accord (GNA) Fayez al-Sarraj reaffirmed that the presidential and parliamentary elections are the sole solution to move to a stable phase, stressing that he will not allow the south to become theater for settling political disputes.

There will be no military solution to the current crisis, asserted Saraj, criticizing the operation of the Libyan National Army, which is led by Khalifa Haftar, in the south.

His statement was made as the United Nations and its aid partners, together with the interim Government of Libya, launched on Tuesday a humanitarian response plan (HRP), appealing for USD202 million to bring urgent life-saving assistance to some 552,000 women, children and men affected by the ongoing humanitarian crisis.

The UN Humanitarian, Resident Coordinator for Libya, Maria Ribeiro launched the plan at an event in Tripoli, alongside Sarraj and UN Special Envoy to Libya Ghassan Salame.

Sarraj said that this plan will allow access to great populations in various Libyan regions, and will provide them with basic services and needs.

In the statement issued by his office, he demanded that the responsive plan focuses highly on the southern region. Sarraj considered that the south has suffered a lot and its current condition requires joint efforts to end its hardship.

Further, Salame stressed the necessity of economic reforms adopted by Sarraj, which have driven remarkable progress in living conditions. He called for continuing the reforms program in which both the public and private sectors exploit the potentials to revive the economy.

Moreover, the Western Military Zone of the Presidential Council said that the hostile acts that took place in the past days in the area of Ghadwa and Murzuk clearly show an aim to impose a fait accompli and defeat any political solutions.



Syria Announces 200 Percent Public Sector Wage, Pension Increase

FILE PHOTO: Bundles of Syrian currency notes are stacked up as an employee counts money at Syrian central bank, in Damascus,Syria, January 12, 2025. REUTERS/Firas Makdesi/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Bundles of Syrian currency notes are stacked up as an employee counts money at Syrian central bank, in Damascus,Syria, January 12, 2025. REUTERS/Firas Makdesi/File Photo
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Syria Announces 200 Percent Public Sector Wage, Pension Increase

FILE PHOTO: Bundles of Syrian currency notes are stacked up as an employee counts money at Syrian central bank, in Damascus,Syria, January 12, 2025. REUTERS/Firas Makdesi/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Bundles of Syrian currency notes are stacked up as an employee counts money at Syrian central bank, in Damascus,Syria, January 12, 2025. REUTERS/Firas Makdesi/File Photo

Syria announced on Sunday a 200 percent hike in public sector wages and pensions, as it seeks to address a grinding economic crisis after the recent easing of international sanctions.

Over a decade of civil war has taken a heavy toll on Syria's economy, with the United Nations reporting more than 90 percent of its people live in poverty.

In a decree published by state media, interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa issued a "200 percent increase to salaries and wages... for all civilian and military workers in public ministries, departments and institutions.”

Under the decree, the minimum wage for government employees was raised to 750,000 Syrian pounds per month, or around $75, up from around $25, AFP reported.

A separate decree granted the same 200 percent increase to retirement pensions included under current social insurance legislation.

Last month, the United States and European Union announced they would lift economic sanctions in a bid to help the country's recovery.

Also in May, Syria's Finance Minister Mohammed Barnieh said Qatar would help it pay some public sector salaries.

The extendable arrangement was for $29 million a month for three months, and would cover "wages in the health, education and social affairs sectors and non-military" pensions, he had said.

Barnieh had said the grant would be managed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and covered around a fifth of current wages and salaries.

Syria has some 1.25 million public sector workers, according to official figures.