Libya

Senior Libyan official vows to do utmost for national reconciliation

TRIPOLI, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Mohammad Menfi, the newly-appointed president of Libya's Presidential Council, said on Friday that he would do his utmost to help achieve national reconciliation in his country.

"The greatest efforts will be dedicated to laying the foundations of the national reconciliation process, by building its structures, providing moral and material requirements for national reconciliation, and establishing values of forgiveness and tolerance," Menfi said in a televised speech.

New mass grave found in Libya's Tarhouna stronghold of Khalifa Haftar

11 Mar 2021; MEMO: A new mass grave has been found in the Libyan city of Tarhouna, located to the south of Tripoli, the Libyan government has said.

Tarhouna was a stronghold of militia affiliated with renegade General Khalifa Haftar, the self-proclaimed military strongman who launched an armed insurgency against the internationally-recognised government in the country.

Libyan parliament backs unity government, advancing peace plan

TRIPOLI, March 11 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Libya’s long-divided parliament approved an interim government mandated to bring the fractured country together after a decade of chaos and violence, and to oversee elections in December as part of a UN-backed peace plan.

The parliament’s approval of Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibeh’s cabinet by 132 votes to two against, at a session in a war-battered frontline city, represents the biggest opportunity in years for a resolution to Libya’s conflict.

Libyan parliament postpones gov't approval to Wednesday

09 Mar 2021; MEMO: Libya's parliament has postponed to Wednesday its vote of confidence on a new interim government, Anadolu Agency reported.

"The parliament decided to suspend [postpone] the session until tomorrow, Wednesday," Muhammad Al-Raeed, a member of the House of Representatives from the city of Misrata, told Anadolu Agency.

Al-Raeed said: "Tomorrow's session will be for a vote of confidence for the government."

New Libyan PM presents gov't structure for parliament approval

TRIPOLI, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) -- Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, the newly-selected prime minister of Libya, on Thursday presented the ministerial structure of his government to the House of Representatives.

"We presented the ministerial structure and the work program of the government, as well as the program of the selection and appointment of the ministers, to the House of Representatives," Dbeibah told a press conference in the capital Tripoli.

More than 200 illegal migrants rescued off Libyan coast: UNHCR

TRIPOLI, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- More than 200 illegal migrants, including women and children, have been rescued off Libyan coast, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said Saturday.

"Over 200 persons were brought to Tripoli by the Libyan Coast Guard, among them 9 women and 3 children," the agency tweeted.

"UNHCR and partner IRC (International Rescue Committee) are providing relief items and medical aid to all survivors," the commissioner said.

Libya's Haftar hires new law firm to represent him in US court

08 Feb 2021; MEMO: Renegade General Khalifa Haftar has appointed a new legal team to represent him in US judicial proceedings against him, the head of the Democracy and Human Rights Foundation as said.

Emadeddin Muntasser stated that Haftar, who holds American citizenship, hired Harvey & Binnall law firm in Virginia where the Libyan commander is on trial, according to Arabi21.

32 illegal migrants rescued off Libyan coast

TRIPOLI, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on Sunday said that 32 illegal migrants, including women and children, were rescued off Libya's western coast.

"Another boat returned to Tripoli with 32 people on board, including 2 children and 3 Libyan families. The wooden vessel had set off from Zawiya the previous day," UNHCR tweeted.

UNHCR stressed that Libya is not a safe port for the disembarkation of rescued migrants.

Libya power brokers welcome accord but challenges lie ahead

TRIPOLI (Reuters) - Libya’s parallel eastern administration on Saturday welcomed Friday’s announcement of a new interim government to unite the country, but added it would only cede power if the eastern-based parliament approved.

Its qualified statement of support - leaving scope to oppose the move later - illustrates the challenges that may face the U.N.-led efforts to find a political solution to a decade of chaos, division and violence.

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