Libya civil war: UK experts could be sent to monitor proposed ceasefire, says PM
Germany has said countries with interests in the conflict have agreed they should respect a much-violated arms embargo.
Monday 20 January 2020 08:43, UK
British experts could be sent to Libya as part of a possible international force to monitor a proposed permanent ceasefire.
It comes as Boris Johnson was among world leaders attending a peace summit in Berlin, which included all parties in the civil war and was aimed at stopping foreign influence in the conflict.
The prime minister said: "If there is a ceasefire, yes, of course there's a case for us doing what we do very well, which is sending experts to monitor the ceasefire."
It is understood they would be experts from the UK's Foreign Office.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said countries with interests in the conflict, which has evolved into a proxy war, have agreed they should respect a much-violated arms embargo.
The nations also agreed to not provide any more military support to the warring parties and push them for a full ceasefire.
The conflict has been raging since dictator, Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, was overthrown by NATO-backed rebels in 2011.
For more than five years, the oil-rich north African nation has had two rival governments - one in the east and the other in the west, with streets controlled by armed groups.
The internationally-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) - led by Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj, based in Tripoli in the west and backed by Turkish troops - is fighting forces loyal to eastern commander, General Khalifa Haftar.
His self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA) is advancing on the capital with the backing of Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Russian mercenaries and African troops.
Up to 2,000 fighters from Syria's civil war have joined the battle, reportedly against Gen Haftar's men.
The Berlin summit was hosted by Germany and the United Nations.
Gen Haftar quit a Turkish-Russian summit a week ago and escalated the conflict on Friday when eastern oil ports were shut down.
Libya's National Oil Corporation (NOC), which has said it is neutral and deals with all parties in the conflict, claimed the shutdown was directly ordered by Gen Haftar's forces and would cut oil production by 800,000 barrels a day.
Any lasting closure could hit Tripoli hard since the government relies on oil revenues to fund its budget.