A Libyan man carries a picture of Khalifa Haftar during a demonstration in Benghazi, Libya, April 12 2019. Picture: REUTERS/ESAM OMRAN AL-FETORI
The initiative was the latest attempt to stabilise Libya, a member of oil cartel Opec which has been beset by turmoil since the toppling of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. The Russian defence ministry was quoted by Interfax news agency on Tuesday as saying Haftar had been positive about the ceasefire deal and was taking two days to discuss it with tribes that support his forces. But ErdoTurkey’s parliament voted this month to allow a troop deployment to help the Tripoli government to fend off Haftar, who is backed by the United Arab Emirates , Egypt, Jordan and Russian mercenaries.
“The goal of this process is, with a group of states and international organisations, to support the efforts of the UN for a sovereign Libya and for the reconciliation process within Libya,” the German government said.Since September, Russian mercenaries have joined the LNA forces, helping make small gains on the Tripoli frontline in recent weeks. That has prompted Turkey, which has business interests in the country, to deploy soldiers to Libya to help the Tripoli government.