The United States is worried about plans to attract external military assistance to the conflict in Libya, this threatens the prospects for its settlement, the State Department said.
“The United States is concerned about the government’s request for national support for military support and the threat of the LNA (Libyan National Army – ed.) to use foreign-supplied air assets and mercenaries to attack Misurata. External military intervention threatens the prospects for resolving the conflict”, – the statement said.
The State Department again condemned the attacks on civilians and called on all parties to refrain from escalating.
“The United States is ready to cooperate with the UN and all parties to begin political negotiations. The recent inclusive US-Libyan economic dialogue in Tunisia has shown that constructive progress is possible if external players provide the Libyans with time and space to interact with each other”, – the agency said.
After the overthrow and assassination of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, Libya virtually ceased to function as a single state. Dual power reigns in the country now.
The parliament elected by the people sits in the east, and in the west, in the capital Tripoli, the Government of National Accord, led by Fayez Sarraj, rules with the support of the UN and the European Union. The authorities of the eastern part of the country operate independently of Tripoli and cooperate with the Libyan National Army, led by Marshal Khalifa Haftar, who has not stopped trying to capture Tripoli since April.
The Turkish parliament ratified a memorandum of military cooperation concluded with the government in Tripoli on Saturday. Turkish leader Tayyip Erdogan announced the possibility of sending the Turkish military to Libya if its authorities turned to Turkey with such a request.
Earlier collaborating with the East Libyan authorities, Marshal Haftar, supported by Egypt and the UAE, announced the start of a decisive battle and advance to the center of Tripoli. Libyan media report clashes between the forces of Haftar and the PNS in a number of areas on the outskirts of the Libyan capital.