EU ambassador urges Eid cease-fire in Libya

The EU ambassador to Libya has called on warring parties to stop clashes and mark Eid al-Fitr, holiday marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan, in peace.

Alan Bugeja urged Libyan army and militias of warlord Khalifa Haftar “to respect the spirituality of Eid al-Fitr and allow the holidays to be celebrated in peace and compassion, which is the basis of the religion of Islam.”

"While this year's Eid al-Fitr is being celebrated, Libyans, besides suffering from the coronavirus pandemic, still continue to be affected by the war that has caused death, destruction and displacement. It is time to hear the ongoing calls to end conflicts and return to dialogue,” Bugeja said in a statement on Saturday.

Libya's government, which has been under attack by Haftar's forces since April 2019, launched Operation Peace Storm on March 26 to counter attacks on the capital Tripoli.

Earlier this month, the army retook Al-Watiya airbase after about six years under putschist forces.

Al-Watiya is a key airbase, second only to Mitiga International Airport. It was captured in 2014 by Haftar, who used it as his headquarters for attacks on the legitimate government.

Following the ouster of late ruler Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, Libya's government was founded in 2015 under a UN-led political agreement.

* Writing by Erdogan Cagatay Zontur in Ankara