Al-Menfi Emphasizes 'Libyan Reconciliation', Kubis Calls for Ending 'Divisions'

 Mohammad Al-Menfi after performing the Eid prayer in Tobruk on Tuesday. (Photo: Presidential Council)
Mohammad Al-Menfi after performing the Eid prayer in Tobruk on Tuesday. (Photo: Presidential Council)
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Al-Menfi Emphasizes 'Libyan Reconciliation', Kubis Calls for Ending 'Divisions'

 Mohammad Al-Menfi after performing the Eid prayer in Tobruk on Tuesday. (Photo: Presidential Council)
Mohammad Al-Menfi after performing the Eid prayer in Tobruk on Tuesday. (Photo: Presidential Council)

Mohammad Al-Menfi, Chairman of the Libyan Presidential Council, who performed the Eid al-Adha prayer on Tuesday in the city of Tobruk, stressed the importance of adhering to the values of tolerance and sacrifice, pointing out in a statement to the Council’s efforts to achieve national reconciliation as an ideal option to restore stability and reunite the people of the country.

In turn, Moussa al-Koni, a member of the Presidential Council, said in a brief tweet that holding the elections on Dec. 24, “will be a victory for the nation.”

In this context, the High Electoral Commission pledged to achieve the aspirations of the Libyans in the elections, and called for a massive participation, which “will lead to the building of a secure and stable homeland.”

In a statement, the commission pointed to the ongoing registration process, noting that more than 2.5 million voters have been registered so far.

For his part, Jan Kubis, Head of the United Nations Mission in Libya, congratulated the citizens on the occasion of Eid al-Adha and urged all Libyan leaders and institutions to carry the message of peace, compassion and reconciliation in order to end the continuing divisions in the country.

“On behalf of the entire United Nations family in Libya, I wish all of you and your loved ones and families a peaceful and joyous holiday full of hope for a better future. As we commemorate this occasion, I urge all Libyan leaders and institutions to remember the message of peace, compassion, and reconciliation that this occasion symbolizes to put an end to the continued divisions in the country and to the hardship the Libyan people continue to endure,” The Special Envoy said.

He added: “On this occasion, I call on all key Libyan decision-makers and institutions to safeguard what has been achieved since the signing of the Ceasefire Agreement in October 2020 and work together in a spirit of unity and patriotism, shoulder and share the responsibility to put the welfare and the interests of the Libyan people above narrow interests. May the goodwill of this holy occasion inspire you all to intensify your efforts to continue with the path of peace through enabling the holding of national elections on 24 Dec. 2021.”



UN Calls for 'Immediate Deescalation' in Libyan Capital

Man waving the Libyan flag - File Photo/AFP
Man waving the Libyan flag - File Photo/AFP
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UN Calls for 'Immediate Deescalation' in Libyan Capital

Man waving the Libyan flag - File Photo/AFP
Man waving the Libyan flag - File Photo/AFP

The UN mission in Libya called for "immediate deescalation", citing reports of armed forces being mobilized in the capital and its surroundings that have raised fears of renewed violence.

In mid-May, there were clashes in Tripoli between forces loyal to the government and powerful armed groups wanting to dismantle it.

In a statement published late on Wednesday on X, the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) said there were "increased reports of continued military build-up in and around Tripoli", AFP reported.

It said it "strongly urges all parties to refrain from using force, particularly in densely populated areas, and to avoid any actions or political rhetoric that could trigger escalation or lead to renewed clashes".

It called for all parties to "engage in good faith" in deescalation and for the "swift implementation of security arrangements" set out during efforts to end the May violence.

Those clashes left six people dead, the United Nations said.

"Forces recently deployed in Tripoli must withdraw without delay," UNSMIL said.

Libya has been gripped by conflict since the 2011 overthrow and killing of longtime ruler Moamer Kadhafi in a NATO-backed uprising.

The country remains split between Prime Minister Abdelhamid Dbeibah's UN-recognized government based in Tripoli and a rival administration based in the east.

In a TV interview on Monday, Dbeibah called for armed groups to vacate the areas under their control.

Among the sites held by armed factions are the Mitiga airport in the east of the capital, which is controlled by the powerful Radaa Force.

"Dialogue -- not violence -- remains the only viable path toward achieving lasting peace, stability in Tripoli and across Libya", the UNSMIL statement said.