Libya

Eastern Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar paved the way to stand as president in a possible December election on Wednesday, saying he would step down from his military role for three months.

Libyan lawmakers Tuesday passed a vote of no confidence in the country's transitional government, throwing long-awaited elections scheduled later this year into further uncertainty.

Forces loyal to eastern Libyan strongman Khalifa Haftar carried out an operation Tuesday against a Chadian armed opposition group along Libya’s southern border, media close to Haftar reported.

The Security Council today decided to extend until 30 September the mandate of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) as an integrated special political mission.

With just over 100 days until landmark elections in Libya, political leaders must join forces to ensure the vote is free, fair and inclusive, the UN envoy for the country told the Security Council on Friday. 

Libya's eastern commander Khalifa Haftar has hired a former Republican congressman and former aide to President Bill Clinton for a nearly $1 million lobbying campaign aimed at shoring up political support and influence ahead of elections later this year.

France and Spain already reopened their diplomatic missions in Libya following the end of the civil war last year.

Fighting broke out in Tripoli early on Friday between rival armed forces, the heaviest clashes in the Libyan capital since the conflict between eastern and western factions paused a year ago.

[…] Speaking at Libya neighboring countries meeting in Algeria, an event that discusses support for the political process and elections, Kubis urged stakeholders and neighboring countries to send elections monitors to Libya and called on the House of Representatives to speed up the approval process of elections' legislations and constitutional basis.