The war for Tripoli is entering its ninth month, but no resolution appears in sight with efforts to arrange a key peace conference struggling to gain traction. Forces aligned to eastern-based General Khalifa Haftar are still pretty much where they were when they started their offensive in April: 10km from the capital’s center.
The promised quick and clean victory never came (MEES, 5 April). Powerful factions in western Libya, which Mr Haftar hoped would join him, didn’t. Instead, groups previously fighting each other for Tripoli’s riches (among others) united to halt his offensive. For them, the war is an existential one. (CONTINUED - 708 WORDS)
