Western Libya offensive

Forces loyal to Libya's renegade Gen. Khalifa Haftar accepted a joint call by Turkey and Russia for a cease-fire and truce in the battle for Tripoli on Jan. 10. 

Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA) spokesman Ahmed al-Mismari said in a video message that forces accepted the cease-fire call but would harshly respond if violated. 

Turkey expects Russia to convince Libya's renegade general Khalifa Haftar for a cease-fire, the country's foreign minister said on Jan. 11.

Libya's UN-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) said on Jan. 10 it killed 20 fighters of rival Gen. Khalifa Haftar in airstrikes as fresh clashes hit southern Tripoli.

GNA military spokesman Mohammed Kanunu said the strikes also destroyed two armored vehicles belonging to the United Arab Emirates.

Gen. Khalifa Haftar, who commands armed militia based in eastern Libya, rejected a truce on Jan. 9 encouraged by Russia and Turkey, according to militia spokesman Ahmed al-Mismari.

Turkey's president and the British prime minister on Jan. 8 discussed top international issues in a phone call, said the Turkish Presidential Communications Directorate on Jan. 8.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Prime Minister Boris Johnson spoke about the current tension between the U.S. and Iran and other regional and international issues, particularly Libya and Syria.

The foreign ministers of Greece, Cyprus, France, Italy and Egypt are due to meet on Wednesday in Cairo, the Egyptian government announced on Monday.

Talks between the five foreign ministers are expected to focus on developments since the recent maritime borders and defense agreements singed by Ankara and the Tripoli-based government in Libya.

Turkey has slammed an attack by General Khalifa Haftar forces against a military academy in Tripoli, which claimed the lives of at least 30 academy students, and renewed its calls on the cessation of foreign military support to Haftar.

Libya's eastern-based parliament has voted to reject the agreements signed between the country's internationally-recognized government and Turkey on maritime rights in the Mediterranean and military cooperation, Egypt Today reports.

The head of the U.N. on Jan. 4 urged an "immediate ceasefire" in war-weary Libya where the internationally recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) fights forces affiliated with Gen. Khalifa Haftar.

Libya's High Council of State welcomed the passage of a motion by Turkey's parliament on sending troops to Libya.

The council's statement followed a request by the UN-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) for help.