Libya again postpones presidential election

Libya again postpones presidential election

Libya’s long-delayed presidential elections have been postponed again, as the country’s electoral commission has yet to finalize the candidates who are eligible to run for the office. Emad Al-Sayih, head of the National High Commission for Elections, said this latest delay was necessary because the process had reached “a dangerous…

Libya’s path to peace derailed by familiar roadblocks

On May 18th, US diplomat Joey Hood became the highest-ranking American official to visit Libya since 2014, the year that Washington closed its embassy in Tripoli amid surging violence. Hood’s visit tempered optimism—the US dangled the possibility of eventually reopening its Libyan embassy—with clear concern over the likelihood of achieving…

Interim Libyan leaders chosen, but no easy road to elections

The announcement Friday of new leadership in Libya brought some optimism that the volatile and fractured nation may have turned toward peace and a pathway to elections, but much skepticism remains despite the establishment of an interim presidency council. “Realistically, I don’t think we are beyond the military phase in…

UN urges Libyan ceasefire despite Haftar’s rejection

Although Khalifa Haftar and his eastern Libyan forces have rejected the call for a ceasefire put out by Government of National Accord (GNA) leader Fayez Al-Sarraj, the United Nations says it continues to back diplomacy in resolving the long-standing crisis. “I’ve just read out a rather comprehensive humanitarian update, which…

Libya’s GNA backs out of Geneva talks after Tripoli port bombing

Libya’s Government of National Accord (GNA) has suspended participation in the Geneva negotiations on military issues, one of three national dialogue tracks established following the Berlin Conference on the conflict in January. GNA President Fayez Al-Sarraj said the decision followed the bombing of Tripoli’s port on Tuesday by the Libyan…

Berlin conference parties agree on Libya political solution

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, host of Sunday’s international conference on Libya in Berlin, said all parties have agreed to honor an oft-violated arms embargo as the parties move forward in a new framework for peace. Both Government of National Accord leader Fayez al-Sarraj and rival Khalifa Haftar of the Libyan…

Reports: Libya fighting renews after Moscow talks fail

Libyan National Army (LNA) leader Khalifa Haftar returned to Benghazi late Monday, after eight hours of negotiations with Government of National Accord (GNA) head Fayez Al-Sarraj in Moscow that failed to deliver on a ceasefire agreement. The Al-Arabiya news outlet reports that “clashes renewed in Salah al-Din, south of the…

UN says LNA strikes near Tripoli target civilians

Another bombing on the outskirts of Tripoli  – impacting civilians for the fourth time this week – drew a fresh appeal from the United Nations representative in Libya for their protection. The Institute of Applied Engineering, located near hundreds of people sheltered in the Al-Nasser Migrants Center in Al-Zawiya, was…