UN and EU representatives called on Tuesday for restraint and avoidance of escalation in the Libyan capital, Tripoli, where security tensions have continued amid popular fears of new clashes between militias loyal to head of Libya's Government of National Unity (GNU) Abdul Hamid al-Dbeibeh and their opponents.
Turkish Anadolu Agency said despite the absence of any armed clashes in Tripoli, there is increasing popular fear that military mobilizations could lead to confrontations.
In recent days, armed vehicles have reportedly moved into Tripoli from Misrata, which houses forces loyal to Dbeibeh. In return, their adversaries, mainly the Special Deterrence Force, known as al-Radaa, are deploying and strengthening their forces in the densely populated residential district of Souq al-Juma and Tajoura.
In return, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), Hanna Tetteh, held a meeting with ambassadors of EU member states on her efforts with Libyan parties to implement the political roadmap she announced last August.
The attendees affirmed the necessity of unifying regional and international efforts to ensure the success of the political path, underscoring the importance of maintaining stability and avoiding security escalation in Libya.
During the monthly coordination meeting of EU member state ambassadors, Tetteh emphasized the importance of “structured dialogue” as an opportunity for Libyans to actively participate in the political process, while the ambassadors renewed their full support for this roadmap.
EU Ambassador to Libya Nicola Orlando said on X that Tetteh informed the ambassadors of her intensive efforts with all relevant Libyan parties, institutions, and civil society across the country to move forward with the political roadmap she set out to lead Libya toward national elections, with the aim of unifying institutions and restoring their legitimacy.
Orlando added that they joined her call for all active parties in Tripoli to reject the use of force, end military mobilization immediately, and resolve disputes peacefully, with support from UNSMIL.
Tetteh “received a strong message of support from the ambassadors, who will closely follow developments and Libyan reactions in the critical weeks ahead,” he noted.
In a separate development, Director-General of Libya’s Reconstruction and Development Fund, Belgassem Khalifa Haftar, met in Athens with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis to discuss bilateral ties and economic cooperation.
