UN Security Council calls for ceasefire in Libya

United Nations Security Council called Saturday all warring parties of Libya for a ceasefire stressing de-escalation should be done urgently.

The development comes following a deadly air strike on a detention centre near the capital Tripoli.

The 15-member body released a statement saying, “Lasting peace and stability in Libya will come only through a political solution.”

The council urged other countries not to intervene in Libya conflict and asked the country’s parties to return back to UN-mediated talks.

Since the self-styled Libyan National Army leader Khalifa Haftar launched offensive over Tripoli earlier this year, the statement from UN’s most powerful body came for the first time with approval of all the fifteen members.

Following air strike on Tuesday night the body met on Wednesday to come to a conclusion in issuing a strong statement.

Since April the council has been struggling in dealing with the renewed violence that threatens oil supplies disruption as well as spur migration across the Mediterranean to Europe.

Both the warring parties enjoy military support from regional powers like the Egypt and UAE have for years supplied forces to Haftar while Turkey has lately shipped arms to Tripoli-based government.

The statement read, “The members of the Society Council called for full respect for the arms embargo by all member states… called on all member states not to intervene in the conflict or take measures that exacerbate the conflict.”