US envoy, Libyan mayor discuss latest situation

TRIPOLI, Libya US ambassador to Libya held a phone call with the mayor of Zintan, a city located 170 kilometers southwest of Libya’s capital Tripoli, to discuss latest situation in the region. "Ambassador [Richard] Norland and Mayor of Zintan [Mustafa] Al Baroni discussed yesterday current developments and the desire of western Libyans to see an end to the offensive on Tripoli," the US embassy said on Twitter Thursday. “The Ambassador stressed that only a comprehensive political process can achieve peace and stability for #Libya,” it added. Zintan is a stronghold that supports the Libya’s internationally recognized government, however, almost half of its fighters under the command of Idris Madi are loyal to warlord Khalifa Haftar's militia. The city's airport is under the control of Haftar's militia which is used to bring in weapons and fighters in support of Haftar's attacks. Following the ouster of late ruler Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, Libya's government was founded in 2015 under a UN-led political agreement. The government, which has been besieged by Haftar's forces since April 2019, launched Operation Peace Storm on March 26 to counter attacks on the capital Tripoli and other parts of northwest Libya. * Ahmed Asmar contributed to this report from Ankara