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A10 WORLD NEWS
Friday 5 april 2019

Libya’s Hifter orders forces to march on Tripoli

By RAMI MUSA Gadhafi. Ban Ki-moon vis-
Associated Press ited in October 2014. Libya,
BENGHAZI, Libya (AP) — the oil-rich North African
Libyan army commander country, fell in series of civil
Khalifa Hifter on Thursday wars in different towns and
ordered his forces to march cities, where heavily armed
on Tripoli, the capital of the militias fought over power
U.N.-backed government, and oil.
sparking fears of a major Guterres urged Libya’s war-
showdown with rival mili- ring factions to de-escalate
tias. during a press conference
The order to his Libya Na- in Tripoli shortly after Hifter
tional Army posted in an au- made his declaration on
dio recording online came the Tripoli offensive. He said
as U.N. Secretary-General there is no military solution
Antonio Guterres visited to Libya’s war and that for
the North African country the sake of the upcom-
and expressed fears of new ing peace conference
confrontations. It put at risk this month among Libyan
upcoming peace talks bro- factions, de-escalation is
kered by the U.N. aimed needed.
at drawing a roadmap for “There can’t be national
new elections. conference in these cir-
Libya split between rival cumstances,” he said.
governments in the east In this Aug. 14, 2017 file photo, Libyan militia commander General Khalifa Hifter meets with Russian Earlier, on Twitter, Guterres
and west after descend- Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. said he is “deeply con-
ing into chaos following Associated Press cerned by the military
the 2011 NATO-supported nation. He also urged his forces not kilometers (31 miles) from movement taking place in
uprising that toppled and Hifter described his forc- to open fire on any civilians Tripoli without much fight- Libya and the risk of con-
later killed longtime dicta- es’ move as a “victorious or those who are unarmed. ing. frontation.”
tor Moammar Gadhafi. march” to “shake the lands “Those who lay down their The announcement of an “There is no military solu-
Hifter is allied with the east- under the feet of the unjust weapons are safe, and initiative on Tripoli comes tion,” he said. “Only intra-
based administration at bunch.” those who raise the white days before a U.N.-bro- Libyan dialogue can solve
odds with the U.N.-backed “We are coming Tripoli, we banner are safe,” he said. kered conference aimed Libyan problems.”
government based in Trip- are coming,” he said. Hifter’s message, which at bridging the gap among In a joint statement, the
oli. Alongside the two rival Hifter urged his forces to en- was posted on the Face- Libya’s factions to draw a governments of France,
administrations, mostly Is- ter the city peacefully and book page of the army’s road map for new elections Italy, the United Arab Emir-
lamic militias wield consid- only raise their weapons “in media office, comes a day and end the country’s split. ates, the U.K. and the U.S.
erable influence and con- the face of those who seek after his forces edged clos- Guterres is the second U.N. said they were “deeply
trol large swathes of territo- injustice and prefer con- er to Tripoli and took over chief to visit Libya since the concerned” by fighting
ry in the vast North African frontation and fighting.” the town of Gharyan, 50 2011 uprising that toppled near Gharyan.q

Saudis open consulate in Iraq in sign of improving ties

By QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA Diplomatic relations were Abdullah al-Qasabi. The
Associated Press resumed in 2015 when Ri- delegation met with Iraq’s
BAGHDAD (AP) — Saudi yadh sent an ambassador prime minister, Adel Abdul-
Arabia on Friday reopened to Baghdad, and improved Mahdi, and held talks with
a consulate in Baghdad with the then-Saudi Foreign Iraqi businessmen and se-
for the first time in nearly 30 Minister Adel Al-Jubeir’s visit nior Iraqi officials meant to
years and announced a $1 in 2017, the first by a Saudi boost relations between
billion aid package for Iraq, foreign minister since 1990. the two countries.
a sign of improving ties be- But consulate services were Al-Qasabi said three more
tween the two neighbors not resumed and Iraqis ap- consulates were expect-
whose relations have been plying for visas had to go ed to open in Iraqi cities.
uneasy for years. through the Saudi embassy He also said Saudi Arabia
The consulate, which will in Jordan. would provide Iraq with
issue visas to Iraqis, was Riyadh is now seeking closer $1 billion in loans for de-
opened at a ceremony in ties to Iraq to counter Iran’s velopment projects and a
Baghdad’s heavily fortified Iraq Foreign Minister Mohamed Alhakim, center right, shakes growing influence in the re- gift from King Salman for a
hands with Saudi Minister of Commerce and Investment, Majid
Green Zone, during which bin Abdullah Al Qasabi, after the opening ceremony of a Saudi gion and in Iraq in particu- sports stadium to be built
Iraq’s Foreign Minister Mo- Arabia consulate in Baghdad, Iraq, Thursday, April 4, 2019. lar, while Baghdad seeks to south of Baghdad.
hamed Alhakim raised a Associated Press attract Saudi investments Iraq’s Prime Minister Adel
green Saudi flag over the pilgrims and investors,” he tween Shiite Iran and the to spur economic growth. Abdul-Mahdi is visiting Iran
building. told The Associated Press. mostly Sunni Arab world, Thursday’s consulate cere- on Saturday and plans
Iraqi Foreign Ministry spokes- He said work was also un- and its relations with the mony came on the second to visit Saudi Arabia later
man Ahmad Sahhaf said derway to reopen border Sunni kingdom have long day of a two-day visit by a this month during which a
the move was expected to crossings between Iraq and been troubled. Saudi Ara- delegation headed by the number of trade agree-
benefit both countries. its southern neighbor. bia cut ties with Iraq when Saudi minister of commerce ments are expected to be
“This will reflect positively on Iraq lies on the fault line be- it invaded Kuwait in 1990. and investment, Majid bin signed.q