United Nations envoy to Libya Ghassan Salame and former President of the High Council of State (HCS) Abdulrahman Sewehli have discussed political developments in the country and intensive preparations for the “Inclusive Libyan National Peace and Reconciliation Forum”, according to the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL).
They stressed the necessity to hold the forum the soonest, added the mission.
This forum will conclude the national conferences that occurred in Libya, totaling 77 sessions inside and outside the country. It seeks to end the political division among parties, achieve reconciliation, and issue required legislation to hold parliamentary and presidential elections.
Many Libyans say the success of the conference depends on the parties who would take part in it and their background, while others insist that all factions should be represented. However, there are objections on the representation of the former regime or the invitation of armed militias to the dialogue.
There are efforts to hold the elections in Libya this year despite doubt on the ability to organize the polls in the absence of an electoral law and the presence of armed militias in Tripoli.
Salame expressed hope that a call for a national conference will be made soon to end the transitional phase and pave the way to hold the legislative and presidential elections.
Member of the Constitution Drafting Assembly (CDA) Daw al-Mansouri said that the meeting of head of the Government of National Accord (GNA) Fayez al-Sarraj with mayors of eastern municipalities on Tuesday was a commemoration for the constitutional path, the civil law and the respect of law.
In his meeting, Sarraj said that the country’s political situation did not meet his expectations because differences among the country's factions have had many repercussions including the paralysis of the country's move into statehood in the aftermath of the revolution.
Moreover, UNSMIL documented 13 deaths (11 men, one woman, one boy) and 21 injuries (16 men, one woman, three boys) during hostilities across Libya. Most civilian casualties occurred in gunfire attacks (11 killed and 17 injured), followed by improvised explosive devices.
This week, ISIS attacked Tazirbu in the country’s southeast, killing eight people, and wounding nine inside the police station. The militants also kidnapped 13 people from the town.
