UN Special Envoy to Libya Ghassan Salame on Sunday warned against escalation of fighting here in the Libyan capital, which is witnessing a deadly armed conflict between the east-based rebel army and the UN-backed government in Tripoli.
Salame made his remarks during a meeting with the rebel army commander General Khalifa Haftar in the eastern city of Rajma. “They discussed latest developments in Libya and ways to return to a state of peace and dialogue,” the UN Support Mission in Libya said. “Salame warned against the consequences of the escalation of fighting and the increasing foreign interference,” the mission added.
The rebel army has been leading a military campaign since early April to take over Tripoli from the government.
The fighting so far has killed more than 1,000 people, injured more than 5,700 others, and displaced more than 120,000 people, according to the World Health Organization.
Libya has been mired in insecurity and chaos ever since the fall of former leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.
