Libyan National Army commander Khalifa Haftar informed French President Emmanuel Macron that conditions were “not met” to reach a ceasefire in Libya.
He did acknowledge, however, that a "political dialogue" is needed to end the standoff with Government of National Accord head, Fayez al-Sarraj, an Elysee official said Wednesday on condition of anonymity.
Haftar and Marcon met behind closed doors two weeks after the French president hosted Sarraj.
The official added that Haftar explained that the offensive he had launched against Tripoli last month was aimed at fighting "private militias and extremist groups" who are gaining influence in the capital.
Haftar did not make a statement after meeting with Macron for over an hour, a visit that follows Haftar's surprise trip to Rome last week for talks with Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte.
Both Macron and Conte had already met recently with Sarraj, who has accused Paris of supporting Haftar and tacitly backing his assault on Tripoli, claims denied by French officials.
The death toll from the ongoing fighting stood at 510 on Sunday, according to the World Health Organization, mainly combatants but also including civilians. Tens of thousands have been displaced or trapped.
The UN envoy for Libya warned on Tuesday that the oil-rich nation was "on the verge of descending into a civil war" that could imperil its neighbors. Ghassan Salame told the Security Council that extremists from the ISIS group and al-Qaida are already exploiting the security vacuum.
Libya has been split between rival authorities in east and west since 2014, with each side backed by various groups. Haftar's forces have battled extremists and other rival factions across eastern Libya, and recently made inroads in the south.
Haftar presents himself as a strong hand that can restore stability after years of chaos that transformed Libya into a haven for armed groups and a major conduit for migrants bound for Europe.
