Libya

Paris has given Haftar support in the past, viewing him as the best bet to end the chaos since a NATO-backed rebellion to end Gadhafi's murderous four-decade rule. Italy, with considerable oil interests in the OPEC member, supports the Tripoli government of Prime Minister Fayez al-Serraj and was furious with French reluctance to back a recent European Union resolution urging Haftar to halt his advance.

The offensive directed towards the capital, and troops loyal to the internationally-recognized Government led by Faiez Serraj, began on Monday. UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric briefed reporters earlier in the day that clashes were “reportedly intensifying, with increased use of artillery and airstrikes”.

As conflict continues to escalate between the forces of Gen. Khalifa Haftar and the United Nations-recognized government in the capital of Tripoli, experts warn Islamic State militants could take advantage of the security vacuum and resurface on the battlefields of Libya.

An imminent UN-led Libyan conference seeking to set up elections for the war-ravaged, oil-rich country has been postponed because of ongoing clashes near the capital, the top United Nations official in the country said on Tuesday. … The conference was hoping to reach agreement among the various political factions after months of UN-led discussions at a local level nationwide, towards democratic elections which would unify the country and lead to way to economic recovery.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was 'deeply concerned' at military movements and the risk of new outbreaks of fighting

Eastern Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar ordered his troops to "advance" on the capital Tripoli in a video message published on Thursday after UN chief Antonio Guterres warned of the growing risk of violence.

Libya's internationally recognized government, which controls the capital, Tripoli, declared a general military alert Wednesday after eastern forces said they were moving west, a statement said.

Secretary-General António Guterres said he is hopeful for a solution to the eight-year long conflict in Libya, after a high-level meeting in Tunis, Tunisia, on Saturday with officials from the Arab League, the European Union and the African Union -- the group known as the 'Libya Quartet.'

The Council today extended the mandate of EUNAVFOR MED Operation Sophia until 30 September 2019. The Operation Commander has been instructed to suspend temporarily the deployment of the Operation's naval assets for the duration of this extension for operational reasons. … The Operation will continue to implement its mandate accordingly, strengthening surveillance by air assets as well as reinforcing support to the Libyan Coastguard and Navy in law enforcement tasks at sea through enhanced monitoring, including ashore, and continuation of training.

The AU Commission, together with the UN, are planning an international conference on reconciliation in Libya.