(Bloomberg) -- Russia vowed to use “all available means” to try to broker peace in Libya as warlord Khalifa Haftar brushed aside U.S. warnings to press his military advance on the capital Tripoli.

President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said Russia is urging all sides “to avoid any actions that could provoke bloodshed and the death of civilians,” in a conference call with reporters on Monday.

While the Kremlin has joined other global powers in urging a halt to fighting, it’s refrained from blaming Haftar for the outbreak of hostilities. Russia also blocked a more forceful statement singling out the strongman’s forces by the United Nations Security Council.

Russia along with the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and France has supported Haftar, who is moving his self-styled Libyan National Army west to Tripoli to fight what he says is “terrorism” after solidifying control of the east and sweeping through the south in January. While the offensive caught Moscow off balance, it sees the developments as a potential way to encourage a deal.

Putin’s administration views Haftar’s actions as “an effort to demonstrate he’s a factor that has to be taken into account, to get bargaining chips,” said Andrey Kortunov, head of the Russian International Affairs Council, a research group set up by the Kremlin.

U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo late Sunday called for an “immediate halt” to Haftar’s advance on Tripoli, warning “there is no military solution to the Libya conflict.”

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who discussed the crisis with his Egyptian counterpart in Cairo on Saturday, criticized the use of air strikes against Haftar’s forces by opponents allied to UN-backed Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj.

“Russia can do something in coordination with Egypt, if there are reciprocal steps by Sarraj, because there are efforts there to exclude Haftar from the political process, which is against Russian interests,” Kortunov said.

Putin criticized the North Atlantic Treaty Organization-led air campaign that helped to oust Libyan dictator Moammar Qaddafi in 2011 as a “crusade.” While Russia has been building ties to all factions in Libya, including supporters of Qaddafi, it’s providing training to Haftar’s forces, according to Western diplomats.

The problem with the military leader is that he’s not ready to compromise, said Vasily Kuznetsov, head of the Center for Arab and Islamic Studies at the Institute of Oriental Studies in Moscow.

In a bid to advance mediation efforts in support of a planned UN-hosted national conference in mid-April, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov has been conducting phone diplomacy, speaking to Haftar and rival Libyan figures.

The chances of easing the crisis in Libya “aren’t high but they do exist,” said Elena Suponina, a Moscow-based Middle East expert. “Haftar no doubt understands it will be very hard for him to win militarily alone. It’s better for him after strengthening his position on the ground to listen to advice and restart negotiations.”

To contact the reporter on this story: Henry Meyer in Moscow at hmeyer4@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Gregory L. White at gwhite64@bloomberg.net, Tony Halpin</s>The United States says it is “deeply concerned” about a battle near Libya’s capital, Tripoli. and is seeking an “immediate halt” to an offensive against the city by commander Khalifa Haftar’s self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA).

 

 “We have made clear that we oppose the military offensive by Khalifa Haftar’s forces and urge the immediate halt to these military operations against the Libyan capital," U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement from Washington late on April 7.

 

 According to the Health Ministry of Libya’s UN-backed government of National Accord, 11 people were killed and 23 wounded by fighting on April 7 in the southern part of Tripoli between government forces and Haftar's Russia-backed forces. The ministry did not give details about whether the casualties were civilians or fighters.

 

 Before those casualties were announced, the Tripoli-based government said at least 23 people had been killed and 27 wounded on both sides, including civilians, since fighting broke out around the capital on April 4.

 

 Casualties from fighting on April 7 were announced after Haftar’s forces said they carried out an air strike near Tripoli Airport on the southern outskirts of the capital, escalating the battle despite calls for a truce from the United Nations.

 

 Meanwhile, forces of the internationally backed Prime Minister Fayez Serraj said on April 7 that they launched a counterattack against Haftar’s fighters, codenamed “Operation Volcano of Anger,” in a bid to “cleanse all Libyan cities from aggressors and illegitimate forces.”

 

 Haftar’s forces are allied with a self-declared administration in Libya’s eastern city of Tobruk that is a rival to Serraj’s unity government.

 

 Russia has been a key supporter of Haftar, along with Egypt and the United Arab Emirates.

 

 France’s AFP news agency reports that Russia on April 7 blocked a formal UN Security Council statement in line with Pompeo’s call for Haftar’s forces to halt their advance on Tripoli.

 

 That draft statement also "called for those who undermine Libya's peace and security to be held to account,” AFP reported.

 

 Security Council diplomats told AFP that Moscow insisted that the formal statement urge all Libyan forces to stop fighting, but the United States opposed that proposed change.

 

 The battle for Tripoli marks a sharp escalation of a power struggle that has gone on since longtime Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Qaddafi was overthrown in 2011.

 

 In another sign of the deteriorating situation, the United States said on April 7 it has temporarily withdrawn some of its forces from the country due to "security conditions on the ground.”

 

 A small contingent of American troops has been in Libya in recent years to help local forces combat Islamic State (IS) extremists and Al-Qaeda militants, as well as to protect diplomatic facilities.

 

 "The security realities on the ground in Libya are growing increasingly complex and unpredictable," said U.S. Marine Corps General Thomas Waldhauser, the head of U.S. Africa Command.

 

 "Even with an adjustment of the force, we will continue to remain agile in support of existing U.S. strategy, “ Waldhauser said.

 

 He did not provide details on the number of U.S. troops that have been withdrawn or on how many remain within the country.



 With reporting by Reuters, AP, AFP, dpa, and BBC</s>Tripoli - The US on Sunday appealed for an "immediate halt" to a military offensive by Libyan strongman Khalifa Haftar, as fighting raged near Tripoli despite a UN call for a ceasefire.

The unity government said the fighting had killed 21 people, while the United Nations said there had been "no truce" despite calls for a two-hour pause in fighting for civilians and the wounded to flee.

Oil-rich Libya has been riven by chaos since the NATO-backed uprising in 2011 that killed Muammar Gaddafi, as rival administrations and armed groups have battled for power.

"We have made clear that we oppose the military offensive by Khalifa Haftar's forces and urge the immediate halt to these military operations against the Libyan capital," Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said late Sunday.

Pompeo stressed that there is "no military solution to the Libya conflict," and urged all parties to return to "political negotiations" mediated by the UN.

The unity government's health ministry said Sunday at least 21 people had been killed and 27 wounded since the fighting began, without specifying whether civilians were among the dead.

Haftar's force said Saturday that 14 of its personnel had been killed, while the Libyan Red Crescent reported the death of one of its doctors.

The UN's Libya mission UNSMIL said it was "still hoping for a positive response" to its earlier call for a pause, after a two-hour window it had set for a humanitarian truce passed with no apparent let-up in the fighting.

But on Sunday Russia blocked proposals for the council to adopt a formal statement, diplomats said, instead insisting that all Libyan forces be urged to stop fighting.

The US military said Sunday it had temporarily pulled an unspecified number of its troops out of Libya "in response to security conditions on the ground".

Analysts say Haftar has been buoyed by a series of successful operations that have brought all of the east and much of southern Libya under his control.

A field marshal who served under Gaddafi and now backs an administration in eastern Libya opposed to the GNA, Haftar was counting on a swift battle to capture Tripoli.

"To date, Haftar's operation has mostly failed to go according to plan, and it has now galvanised western Libyan forces against him," said analyst Wolfram Lacher.

"He now faces the prospect of a protracted war south of Tripoli, or of a decisive defeat," said Lacher, a researcher with the German Institute for International and Security Affairs.</s>FILE - In this Aug. 14, 2017 file photo, Libyan militia commander General Khalifa Hifter meets with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow, Russia. The U.N. chief says he's worried about a major armed showdown in Libya and is urging warring factions to instead turn to dialogue. Forces loyal to Hifter, who commands the self-styled Libya National Army that's based in the country's east, took control overnight Wednesday April 3, 2019, of the town of Gharyan, 50 kilometers (31 miles) from Tripoli, without major clashes. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev, File)

BENGHAZI, Libya (AP) — Militias in western Libya fought forces under rival army commander Khalifa Hifter on Friday, capturing 100 of his soldiers and waging an airstrike on one of his positions a day after he declared an offensive to seize Tripoli, the capital of the oil-rich nation.

The violence came as the U.N. chief wrapped up his visit Friday aimed at avoiding an expanded conflict and said he left with a "heavy heart and deep concern."

The escalation comes after forces commanded by Hifter, who runs the self-styled Libya National Army based in the country's east, pushed westward. He brought his troops closer to Tripoli, which is controlled by the U.N.-backed Presidential Council and Government of National Accord and supporting militias.

A well-informed U.N. diplomat said late Friday that Hifter's forces were reported to be on the outskirts of Tripoli. So were militias from the western city of Misrata who now control everything from the eastern edges of the capital to Libya's western border, the diplomat said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly.

A showdown between Hifter's army and the militias could plunge Libya into another spasm of violence, possibly the worst since the 2011 civil war that toppled and later killed longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi.

It would also put at risk upcoming peace talks between rivals brokered by the U.N. and aimed at drawing a roadmap for new elections. Those talks are scheduled for April 14-16.

The U.N. Security Council held an emergency closed-door meeting Friday at Britain's request and called on Hifter's forces to halt all military movements. It also urged all Libya forces "to de-escalate and halt military activity."

After a briefing by the U.N. envoy for Libya, Ghassan Salame, the council said there can be no military solution to the conflict. Council members "called on all parties to resume dialogue and deliver on their commitments to engage constructively with the U.N. political process."

Hifter's troops on Thursday captured the town of Gharyan, some 50 kilometers (31 miles) south of Tripoli without a fight, putting them closer to the militias than ever before.

Hifter then ordered his forces to march on the capital, saying in an audio recording posted online: "We are coming Tripoli, we are coming." He also urged his forces to enter the city peacefully and only raise their weapons "in the face of those who seek injustice and prefer confrontation and fighting."

The march appeared to have faced a set-back on Friday, however.

Militias from the western cities of Zawiya and Misrata, which control Tripoli, said they had mobilized to confront Hifter.

"We are the revolutionaries and the elders ... we declare we are in full mobilization and war," they said in a video statement posted online.

A group of allied militias called the Joint Tripoli Protection Force based in the area around the Libyan capital announced they would also deploy to repel Hifter's offensive.

Over 100 of Hifter's soldiers were captured by Zawiya militias, said army spokesman Ahmed al-Mesmari. He said the soldiers' commander was being investigated.

Anti-Hifter activists on social media posted pictures of what they described as militiamen from Zawiya capturing dozens of Hifter's forces and armored vehicles carrying stickers reading "106th Battalion." The unit is known to be commanded by Hifter's son, Khaled. It's one of the largest units Hifter has deployed to march on Tripoli.

Also, Misrata militias launched an airstrike targeting Hifter's position at the foot of the mountains of Nafusa, he said. He didn't elaborate on the number of casualties.

In Tripoli, council member Mohammed al-Ammari spoke from the city center saying that Libya will not become a "hostage in hands of a military dictator once again."

There were conflicting reports during the day as to how much and where exactly Hifter's fighters were advancing in areas such as Souk al-Khamis.

Clashes erupted at night in the western district of Qasr Bani Ghashir, close to Tripoli International airport, which was destroyed in 2014 fighting. Former lawmaker Abdel-Raouf al-Manaei said the forces fighting under the umbrella of the Government of National Accord will not permit "a replica of el-Sissi military rule in Libya," in reference to the authoritarian Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, who is an army chief turned president.

The renewed fighting came a day after U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres arrived for his first visit to Libya as U.N. chief. On Friday, Guterres went to the eastern region, which is the seat of a rival administration and parliament that Hifter is aligned with. Guterres met with Agila Saleh, head of the east-based parliament, according to spokesman Abdullah Ablahig. "I am leaving Libya with heavy heart and deep concern," he told reporters at the airport shortly after meeting with Hifter. "I still hope, if possible, to avoid armed confrontation around Tripoli," he said. "The United Nations remains available to facilitate any political solution." Since Gadhafi's ouster, Libya has been split between rival governments in the east and the west and an array of militias fighting over power and oil fields. Hifter has recently seized much of southern Libya without fighting. Several governments and organizations urged de-escalation, including those known to be Hifter's key backers, such as France and the United Arab Emirates, without specifically mentioning the commander. Associated Press writers Maggie Michael in Cairo, Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations, Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow, Lorne Cook in Brussels and Colleen Barry in Rome contributed to this report.</s>BENGHAZI, Libya (AP) — Militias in western Libya fought forces under rival army commander Khalifa Hifter on Friday, capturing 100 of his soldiers and waging an airstrike on one of his positions a day after…

BENGHAZI, Libya (AP) — Militias in western Libya fought forces under rival army commander Khalifa Hifter on Friday, capturing 100 of his soldiers and waging an airstrike on one of his positions a day after he declared an offensive to seize Tripoli, the capital of the oil-rich nation.

The violence came as the U.N. chief wrapped up his visit Friday aimed at avoiding an expanded conflict and said he left with a “heavy heart and deep concern.”

The escalation comes after forces commanded by Hifter, who runs the self-styled Libya National Army based in the country’s east, pushed westward. He brought his troops closer to Tripoli, which is controlled by the U.N.-backed Presidential Council and Government of National Accord and supporting militias.

A well-informed U.N. diplomat said late Friday that Hifter’s forces were reported to be on the outskirts of Tripoli. So were militias from the western city of Misrata who now control everything from the eastern edges of the capital to Libya’s western border, the diplomat said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly.

A showdown between Hifter’s army and the militias could plunge Libya into another spasm of violence, possibly the worst since the 2011 civil war that toppled and later killed longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi.

It would also put at risk upcoming peace talks between rivals brokered by the U.N. and aimed at drawing a roadmap for new elections. Those talks are scheduled for April 14-16.

The U.N. Security Council held an emergency closed-door meeting Friday at Britain’s request and called on Hifter’s forces to halt all military movements. It also urged all Libya forces “to de-escalate and halt military activity.”

After a briefing by the U.N. envoy for Libya, Ghassan Salame, the council said there can be no military solution to the conflict. Council members “called on all parties to resume dialogue and deliver on their commitments to engage constructively with the U.N. political process.”

Hifter’s troops on Thursday captured the town of Gharyan, some 50 kilometers (31 miles) south of Tripoli without a fight, putting them closer to the militias than ever before.

Hifter then ordered his forces to march on the capital, saying in an audio recording posted online: “We are coming Tripoli, we are coming.” He also urged his forces to enter the city peacefully and only raise their weapons “in the face of those who seek injustice and prefer confrontation and fighting.”

The march appeared to have faced a set-back on Friday, however.

Militias from the western cities of Zawiya and Misrata, which control Tripoli, said they had mobilized to confront Hifter.

“We are the revolutionaries and the elders … we declare we are in full mobilization and war,” they said in a video statement posted online.

A group of allied militias called the Joint Tripoli Protection Force based in the area around the Libyan capital announced they would also deploy to repel Hifter’s offensive.

Over 100 of Hifter’s soldiers were captured by Zawiya militias, said army spokesman Ahmed al-Mesmari. He said the soldiers’ commander was being investigated.

Anti-Hifter activists on social media posted pictures of what they described as militiamen from Zawiya capturing dozens of Hifter’s forces and armored vehicles carrying stickers reading “106th Battalion.” The unit is known to be commanded by Hifter’s son, Khaled. It’s one of the largest units Hifter has deployed to march on Tripoli.

Also, Misrata militias launched an airstrike targeting Hifter’s position at the foot of the mountains of Nafusa, he said. He didn’t elaborate on the number of casualties.

In Tripoli, council member Mohammed al-Ammari spoke from the city center saying that Libya will not become a “hostage in hands of a military dictator once again.”

There were conflicting reports during the day as to how much and where exactly Hifter’s fighters were advancing in areas such as Souk al-Khamis.

Clashes erupted at night in the western district of Qasr Bani Ghashir, close to Tripoli International airport, which was destroyed in 2014 fighting. Former lawmaker Abdel-Raouf al-Manaei said the forces fighting under the umbrella of the Government of National Accord will not permit “a replica of el-Sissi military rule in Libya,” in reference to the authoritarian Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, who is an army chief turned president.

The renewed fighting came a day after U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres arrived for his first visit to Libya as U.N. chief. On Friday, Guterres went to the eastern region, which is the seat of a rival administration and parliament that Hifter is aligned with.

Guterres met with Agila Saleh, head of the east-based parliament, according to spokesman Abdullah Ablahig.

“I am leaving Libya with heavy heart and deep concern,” he told reporters at the airport shortly after meeting with Hifter.

“I still hope, if possible, to avoid armed confrontation around Tripoli,” he said. “The United Nations remains available to facilitate any political solution.”

Since Gadhafi’s ouster, Libya has been split between rival governments in the east and the west and an array of militias fighting over power and oil fields. Hifter has recently seized much of southern Libya without fighting.

Several governments and organizations urged de-escalation, including those known to be Hifter’s key backers, such as France and the United Arab Emirates, without specifically mentioning the commander.

Associated Press writers Maggie Michael in Cairo, Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations, Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow, Lorne Cook in Brussels and Colleen Barry in Rome contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.</s>Libyan National Army (LNA) members, commanded by Khalifa Hifter, pose for a picture as they head out of Benghazi to reinforce the troops advancing to Tripoli, in Libya on Sunday. Photo: Reuters</s>UNITED NATIONS: Russia on Sunday (Apr 7) blocked a UN Security Council statement that would have called on forces loyal to Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar to halt their advance on Tripoli, diplomats said.

Moscow insisted that the formal statement urge all Libyan forces to stop fighting, but the proposed change was opposed by the United States, council diplomats said.

After a closed-door meeting on Friday, the council called on Haftar's self-proclaimed Libyan National Army to "halt its military activity" in an agreed statement to the press.

Britain then proposed a more formal text for approval to the 15-member council that was opposed by Russia. All council statements are agreed by consensus.

The proposed statement would have called on Haftar's forces to halt all military activity and for all forces to de-escalate, according to the text seen by AFP.

The draft also would have "called for those who undermine Libya's peace and security to be held to account" and renewed support for a national conference to be held this month on holding elections.

Russia has been a key supporter of Haftar, along with Egypt and the United Arab Emirates.

Fighting raged south of Tripoli on Sunday, three days after Haftar launched the offensive to seize the capital, now controlled by a UN-backed unity government and an array of militias.

The LNA said it had carried out its first air raid on a Tripoli suburb.

The UN mission in Libya called for a two-hour humanitarian pause in the fighting that appeared to have been ignored.

The health ministry in Tripoli said at least 21 people have been killed and 27 wounded in the fighting.

The offensive raised fears of return to all-out war in Libya and left a question mark over the UN-led effort to lay the groundwork for elections with the Apr 14-16 conference.

Libya descended into chaos during the 2011 overthrow of Muammar Ghadaffi that has seen a bitter rivalry emerge between the Tripoli-based authorities and Haftar's supporters in the east of the country.</s>Russia on Sunday blocked a UN Security Council statement that would have called on forces loyal to Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar to halt their advance on Tripoli, diplomats said.

Moscow insisted that the formal statement urge all Libyan forces to stop fighting, but the proposed change was opposed by the United States, council diplomats said.

After a closed-door meeting on Friday, the council called on Haftar’s self-proclaimed Libyan National Army to “halt its military activity” in an agreed statement to the press.

Britain then proposed a more formal text for approval to the 15-member council that was opposed by Russia. All council statements are agreed by consensus.

The proposed statement would have called on Haftar’s forces to halt all military activity and for all forces to de-escalate, according to the text seen by AFP.

The draft also would have “called for those who undermine Libya’s peace and security to be held to account” and renewed support for a national conference to be held this month on holding elections.

Russia has been a key supporter of Haftar, along with Egypt and the United Arab Emirates.

Fighting raged south of Tripoli on Sunday, three days after Haftar launched the offensive to seize the capital, now controlled by a UN-backed unity government and an array of militias.

The LNA said it had carried out its first air raid on a Tripoli suburb.

The UN mission in Libya called for a two-hour humanitarian pause in the fighting that appeared to have been ignored.

The health ministry in Tripoli said at least 21 people have been killed and 27 wounded in the fighting.

The offensive raised fears of return to all-out war in Libya and left a question mark over the UN-led effort to lay the groundwork for elections with the April 14-16 conference.

Libya descended into chaos during the 2011 overthrow of Moamer Kadhafi that has seen a bitter rivalry emerge between the Tripoli-based authorities and Haftar’s supporters in the east of the country.</s>(Bloomberg) -- The Trump administration issued a stern warning to Libyan militia leader Khalifa Haftar to halt his forces’ advance on Tripoli, and urged all aides to continue with political negotiations.

Secretary of State Michael Pompeo said in a statement late Sunday that the U.S. was “deeply concerned” about the warlord’s threat to the internationally recognized capital. He said the military campaign was endangering civilians and undermining efforts to resolve the dispute peacefully.

“We have made clear that we oppose the military offensive by Khalifa Haftar’s forces and urge the immediate halt to these military operations against the Libyan capital,” Pompeo said. “There is no military solution to the Libya conflict.”

Haftar is moving his self-styled Libyan National Army west to Tripoli to fight what he says is “terrorism,” after solidifying control of the east and sweeping through the south in January. Clashes have continued on the outskirts of the capital, including air strikes, despite appeals by global powers to halt the offensive.

“A political solution is the only way to unify the country and provide a plan for security, stability and prosperity for all Libyans,” Pompeo said Sunday.

To contact the reporter on this story: Brendan Scott in Singapore at bscott66@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Bill Faries at wfaries@bloomberg.net, Daniel Ten Kate</s>Libya’s Western-backed PM Fayez al-Sarraj (L), France’s President Emmanuel Macron (C) and General Khalifa Haftar listen to a declaration at the Chateau of the La Celle-Saint-Cloud, west of Paris, July 25, 2017. (Photo by AP)

Libya’s Western-backed Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj has accused his rival General Khalifa Haftar of betraying him by initiating a military push against the capital, that risks plunging the nation into civil war.

The head of the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) said in a televised speech on Saturday that Haftar had “stabbed us in the back” by launching “a coup.”

Haftar’s Libyan National Army (LNA) said its forces had advanced into the capital’s southern outskirts and taken its former international airport, prompting Sarraj to warn in a televised address of a “war without a winner.”

Haftar’s troops, which are backed by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt, have been slowed in their advance amid “intensive” airstrikes by forces backing the GNA.

The airstrikes came as fresh fighting flared south of Tripoli despite warning from several European foreign ministers to Haftar not to countenance any further military action.

Armed groups allied to Sarraj moved machinegun-mounted vehicles from Misrata towards the Libyan capital to defend the city.

Sarraj also called on the international community to stop attempts to militarize the oil-rich country, in a veiled rebuke of the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt.

A senior Libyan general said on Saturday that Haftar’s forces were using Emirati and Egyptian weapons in their push to capture the capital. Saudi Arabia has also given Haftar the green light for the offensive and supplied him with money, he added.

According to British daily The Guardian, Haftar met King Salman of Saudi Arabia on March 27 in Riyadh apparently to discuss his offensive plans.

The United Nations has voiced deep concerns about the escalating tensions. It plans to hold a conference later this month in the Libyan city of Ghadames to discuss a political solution to the conflict.

Libya has been the scene of increasing violence since 2011, when former dictator Muammar Gaddafi was toppled from power after an uprising and a NATO military intervention.

His ouster created a huge power vacuum, leading to chaos and the emergence of numerous militant outfits, including the Daesh terrorist group.

The oil-rich country is now divided between two rival governments — the House of Representatives, based in the eastern city of Tobruk, and the government of Sarraj, or the Tripoli-based GNA.

Apart from the three Arab countries backing Haftar, some European governments that once contributed to the NATO military operation to oust Gaddafi have also offered the Libyan strongman some diplomatic support.

On Friday, Russia stressed that it had not assisted Haftar’s forces in their latest push to take over Tripoli, calling for a political solution to the recent flare-up of tensions in Libya.
Russia blocks a United Nations Security Council statement calling on Libyan Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar to immediately halt the Libyan National Army's offensive on Tripoli, because it wants the UN statement to also apply to pro-GNA forces, including Islamist militias from Misrata.