OIC, Arab League call for political settlement in Libya

<p>By Aydogan Kalabalik </p> <p>CAIRO (AA) – The Organization for Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and Arab League on Friday warned both warring parties in Libya against growing escalation and called for a political settlement. </p> <p>In a statement, OIC called on the parties to de-escalate the current situation that can lead to chaos in the country.</p> <p>The Arab League, in a separate statement, also called on both sides to ease the growing tensions in the south of the country and to stick to the political solution. </p> <p>Military commander Khalifa Haftar on Thursday launched a campaign to capture Tripoli, where Libya’s UN-backed unity government is headquartered. </p> <p>Fayez al-Sarraj, head of the Tripoli-based government, ordered the government’s security forces to “prepare for — and respond to — any threats aimed at destabilizing the region”. </p> <p>Libya has remained beset by turmoil since 2011, when a bloody NATO-backed uprising led to the ouster and death of President Muammar Gaddafi after four decades in power. </p> <p>Since then, the country’s stark political divisions have yielded two rival seats of power: one in the eastern city of Al-Bayda, to which Haftar is linked, and another in Tripoli. </p> <p> </p> <p>*Writing by Busra Nur Bilgic </p><br>