Tripoli: Khalifa Haftar, the head of the military in Libya, called on Friday for the establishment of a single technocratic government to oversee the long-delayed elections in place of the competing governments that are currently vying for power. The country is still divided between a Haftar-backed government in the east and a nominally interim one in Tripoli, which is located in the west. Additionally a citizen of the United States, Haftar is accused by his critics of wanting to reinstate the military dictatorship in Libya. The United Nations has stated that it will work to help resolve differences between the opposing sides so that the elections can happen before the end of the year. UN envoy Abdoulaye Bathily, according to the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), "initiated a series of meetings with political leaders in Libya, regional and international partners, and other stakeholders to hear their analysis and discuss potential ways forward."

Source: Libya Today June 17, 2023 10:58 UTC