Fighting between the Libyan National Army (LNA) and the Government of National Accord (GNA), which is backed by armed militias, has not stopped despite international appeals for a humanitarian ceasefire.
But the global coronavirus crisis has stopped several countries from mediating to revive Libya’s political process.
Some Libyan politicians and lawmakers said the suspension of mediations paves the way for a full-scale military operation to get rid the capital Tripoli of militias backing Fayez al-Sarraj’s GNA.
MP Mahdi Laawar said several countries have halted their efforts to resolve Libya’s war after their health systems became overwhelmed by the coronavirus.
Laawar told Asharq Al-Awsat that all countries are busy fighting the pandemic and its economic repercussions. “Therefore, they made appeals for rival parties to stop the war, so that health institutions in the country can work on preventing the coronavirus outbreak.”
However, the GNA forces “have not committed to the humanitarian ceasefire.”
He denied that the ongoing war in Libya is a conflict on interests. It is a conflict on state sovereignty and institutions, said the lawmaker.
Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC) Moussa Faki has earlier said that arrangements to hold the “Libyan National Reconciliation Forum” have been dropped from the AUC agenda over the coronavirus outbreak.
But a Libyan official, Mohammed al-Misbahi, said a freeze in international mediation is not only caused by the pandemic.
He told Asharq Al-Awsat that international power brokers hope the battle launched by the LNA to liberate Tripoli would be resolved militarily to end Turkish intervention in Libya.
Misbahi pointed to Qatar and Turkey’s meddling in support of the militias, indicating that Ankara has sent arms and dozens of mercenaries to Tripoli.
