Italy renews its support for Libya’s GNA

Italian Foreign Minister, Luigi De Maio, yesterday reiterated his country’s support for the internationally-recognised Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA).

Speaking during his meeting with GNA President, Fayez Al-Sarraj, De Maio said Italy’s support included “backing the outcomes of the Berlin Conference on Libya, imposing arms embargo on the Libyan National Army (LNA), establishing a ceasefire between the two Libyan factions, and putting effective mechanisms to prevent any violations.”

Libya has remained beset by turmoil since 2011, when long-time ruler Muammar Gaddafi was ousted and killed in a bloody NATO-backed uprising after four decades in power.

The oil-rich country has since seen the emergence of two rival seats of power: one in eastern Libya, with which Khalifa Haftar is affiliated, and the Tripoli-based GNA, which enjoys UN recognition.

Since early April, LNA forces loyal to Haftar have been launching a campaign to capture Tripoli from forces of the GNA.

Clashes between the two sides since then have left more than 1,000 people dead and about 5,500 wounded, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

READ: Haftar’s forces in Libya ban UN flights to embattled capital