Secret meeting between Benghazi rebels and Haftar representatives in Istanbul

Libyan mediations have led to a secret meeting in Istanbul between Libyan rebels of Benghazi and representatives of the renegade Libyan General Khalifa Haftar, Quds Press reported on Friday.

The meetings form part of efforts to reach a national reconciliation aiming at ending the political disagreement in the country in order to enable the formation of a unity government that is able to achieve a democratic transition in the country.

Sources conditioned to remain anonymous told Quds Press that the Libyan mediators met with both sides separately and said they hoped to hold direct meetings when both sides are ready.

According to the sources, the Istanbul meetings are an extension of the meetings held previously in Tunisia, which led to “important” agreements regarding a national reconciliation and political agreement to end the ongoing clashes in the country.

Quds Press reported the sources saying that similar meetings took place between Haftar’s representatives and rebels in different cities in Libya, which led to mutual prisoner swaps and sport matches. The sources also said that preparations for tribal reconciliation are underway.

“This confirms that the shortest way towards a national reconciliation in Libya must be internal,” the sources said, calling for the international community to support these efforts to help putting an end to the “bloodshed” in Libya.