The Libyan Unity Government calls for general mobilization in the face of a possible civil war "in the next few hours"

Egypt launches emergency ceasefire initiative amid fighting between rival militias in Tripoli

Rival administration forces from the east of the country arrive on the outskirts of the capital at the start of a siege operation

MADRID, 27 Ago. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The Libyan Unity Government, which is based in the country's capital, Tripoli, has called this Saturday for the general mobilization of the population in the face of the fighting that has broken out in recent hours between rival militias and in the face of the advance of forces loyal to the parallel administration in the east of the country, which threatens to drag the country "into civil war in the next few hours".

"We call on all Libyan men and women in the capital Tripoli and in all Libyan cities to take a serious and genuine national position against anyone who wants to start a war inside the capital to achieve or preserve personal gain" , the Prime Minister of Unity, Abdul Hamid Dbeibé, has made known in a statement collected by the Ein News portal.

The combats between the so-called Support and Stability Force, under the orders of the unity government, against militias led by Haitem Tajouri, and have so far resulted in at least 12 deaths and 87 wounded, according to the latest balance published by the Ministry of Health of the Government of National Unity and collected by the Libyan news portal Panorama.

To this situation must be added the advance of a convoy of forces loyal to the self-proclaimed "prime minister" of the east of the country, Fazi Bashaga, who are now fighting to advance towards the center of the capital after trying to take control of the entrance to Janzour, in the west of the city, Al Arabiya sources report. The fighting inside Tripoli is now concentrated in the Zawiya and Al Jumuriya neighborhoods, the scene of "major fires".

Another large convoy of more than 300 vehicles belonging to Bashaga is also known to have left Zliten, 150 kilometers east of Tripoli, along the coastal highway. Bashaga has lived for weeks in Misrata, near this town.

The United Nations, the United States and the United Kingdom have implored the authorities to refrain from taking measures that increase violence, while the president of the Transitional Presidential Council, the body recognized by the United Nations to manage the transition process in Libya, Mohamed Menfi, has been forced to bring forward the end of his official visit to Tunisia to urgently return to the country.

In recent hours, Al Arabiya sources have reported that Egyptian negotiators have launched an emergency initiative to achieve a ceasefire between the parties and prevent Libya from ending up again in a civil war at the last minute.

After a brief period of relative calm after years of open confrontations due to the death of Muammar Gaddafi, the country is once again divided into two administrations.

The House of Representatives, based in the east of the country, ended Dbeibé's mandate due to the postponement of the presidential elections in December and ended up appointing Bashaga, at the beginning of a conflict that has spread to the country's energy sector, absolutely essential to sustain the economy of a nation ruined after years of civil war.

It should be remembered that Bashaga has attempted to take control of Tripoli as many as twice -- on July 22, clashes left 16 dead and around 50 wounded -- before giving up to avoid a serious armed struggle. Right now his government is based in the city of Sirte, but the prime minister of the east of the country has been threatening for days to carry out a definitive offensive against the capital.

Dbeibé came to power after the historic 2020 ceasefire that ended a year of fighting between forces from Tripoli and from the east of the country, led by rebel marshal Khalifa Haftar.

The transitional government was mandated to take the country to elections last December, but they never took place due to divisions over the rules and the presence of controversial candidates, culminating in the controversial appointment of Bashaga.