US Pushes for Withdrawal of Foreign Forces from Libya before Elections

Turkish forces search for mines and explosives on the outskirts of the Libyan capital, Tripoli (Getty Images)
Turkish forces search for mines and explosives on the outskirts of the Libyan capital, Tripoli (Getty Images)
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US Pushes for Withdrawal of Foreign Forces from Libya before Elections

Turkish forces search for mines and explosives on the outskirts of the Libyan capital, Tripoli (Getty Images)
Turkish forces search for mines and explosives on the outskirts of the Libyan capital, Tripoli (Getty Images)

The US has renewed its call on the withdrawal of foreign forces from Libya before the presidential and parliamentary elections scheduled for December 24.

Reports indicated that Turkey and Russia began negotiating in Moscow on an agreement for a simultaneous withdrawal of foreign fighters and mercenaries from Libyan territories.

Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland told the US Senate that Washington hopes to reach an agreement to withdraw mercenaries from Libya before the election date.

Nuland also said that Turkey and Russia want to withdraw mercenaries from Libya simultaneously, stressing that Washington is working with the Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), Jan Kubis, for this purpose.

Commander of the Libyan National Army (LNA) Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar dispatched the head of his General Commander's Office, Khairi al-Tamimi, to Moscow, on a surprise visit to discuss the joint coordination on the sidelines of meetings between Russian and Turkish officials.

Meanwhile, the Libyan unity government, headed by Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh, intends to hold its first meeting in the southern city of Sabha next week.

Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Adel Jumaa announced that the government’s fifth regular meeting would be held in Sabha to identify the difficulties and challenges in the city.

Jumaa acknowledged the difficulties but asserted that the government is determined to find solutions to the city’s problems.



Palestinians Must Not Be Expelled from Gaza, Berlin Says After Trump Comments 

Internally displaced Palestinians make their way from southern to northern Gaza along Al-Rashid road, central Gaza Strip, 27 January 2025. (EPA)
Internally displaced Palestinians make their way from southern to northern Gaza along Al-Rashid road, central Gaza Strip, 27 January 2025. (EPA)
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Palestinians Must Not Be Expelled from Gaza, Berlin Says After Trump Comments 

Internally displaced Palestinians make their way from southern to northern Gaza along Al-Rashid road, central Gaza Strip, 27 January 2025. (EPA)
Internally displaced Palestinians make their way from southern to northern Gaza along Al-Rashid road, central Gaza Strip, 27 January 2025. (EPA)

The Palestinian population must not be expelled from Gaza, the German foreign ministry said on Monday after US President Donald Trump said Jordan and Egypt should take in Palestinians.

Asked for a reaction to Trump's comments, a foreign ministry spokesperson said Berlin shared the view of "the European Union, our Arab partners, the United Nations ... that the Palestinian population must not be expelled from Gaza and Gaza must not be permanently occupied or recolonized by Israel."

Jordan is already home to several million Palestinians, while tens of thousands live in Egypt. Both countries and other Arab nations reject the idea of Palestinians in Gaza being moved to their countries. Gaza is land that Palestinians would want as part of a future Palestinian state.