Eastern Faction Withdraws From Libya Dialogue, Sets Demands

There has been mixed reactions following the decision by soldiers loyal to Khalifa Haftar to suspend their participation in the 5+5 committee. The military committee was set up at the Berlin political agreement and is one of the three dialogue processes which led to the ceasefire in Tripoli in 2020.

In a direct address to their leader Khalifa Haftar, the soldiers demanded the closure of the coastal road which connects the east and the west of Libya, the suspension of all flights between the east and the west and to suspend all forms of cooperation with the government of interim Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh.

In their statement, eastern representatives also attacked the Dbeibah government, accusing it of unpaid salaries for four months. The disgruntled soldiers however have the backing of their colleagues from western Libya, who are calling on the prime minister to pay all soldiers, warning of a return to hostilities.