Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit renewed on Saturday his call for an end to fighting in Libya and other Arab conflict zones so that national efforts can be dedicated to the combat the coronavirus outbreak.
He urged an end to the fighting between the Libyan National Army and Government of National Accord near Tripoli.
Libya marked on Saturday one year since LNA commander Khalifa Haftar launched his operation to capture the capital from terrorist and criminal gangs aligned with the GNA.
"Silencing the guns throughout the Libyan territories is an essential condition for building the lost trust between the two warring parties,” Aboul Gheit said in a statement.
He added that the conflict has undermined peace efforts sponsored by the United Nations Support Mission in Libya, left hundreds of innocent civilians dead and displaced hundreds of thousands of residents.
Aboul Gheit called for a humanitarian ceasefire in the country and urged the Libyan leadership to uphold national interests and immediately begin de-escalation on the ground. The ceasefire must eventually lead to a formal, lasting and comprehensive truce in the country.
He also stressed the league’s rejection and condemnation of all forms of foreign military interference in Libya, the repeated violations of the arms embargo imposed on the country and deployment of terrorist fighters on the ground.
“The Arab League will remain committed to standing by the Libyan people in overcoming the challenges and helping the country through the current crisis,” Aboul Gheit vowed.
