MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 16th May, 2019) Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov and French Special Envoy for Libya Frederic Desagneaux met on Thursday and discussed the current situation in the North African country, the Russian Foreign Ministry said. According to the ministry, Bogdanov reaffirmed Russia's commitment to actively promote the political process in Libya in order to form united authorities capable of effectively solving urgent tasks on the country's agenda, including the fight against terrorism. After Libya's long-standing leader, Muammar Gaddafi, was overthrown and killed in 2011, Libya stopped functioning as a unified state. Today it is split between two governments: the eastern part of the country is controlled by the parliament and the Libyan National Army, while the UN-backed Tripoli-based Government of National Accord controls the west. In April, the Libyan National Army under the leadership of Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar launched a major offensive on Tripoli, leaving hundreds killed and thousands wounded.

Source: Libya Today May 16, 2019 14:26 UTC