CAIRO / ISTANBUL

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi reaffirmed Monday his country’s full support for Libya’s sovereignty, stability and territorial integrity during a meeting in Cairo with eastern Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar.

Haftar attended the meeting with his deputy Saddam Khalifa and his chief of staff Khaled Khalifa, while Egyptian intelligence chief Hassan Rashad was also present.

A presidency statement said Sisi stressed the need to counter all foreign interference in Libya and called for the withdrawal of all foreign forces and mercenaries, reiterating Egypt’s full support for Libya’s stability and unity.

The Egyptian president also reaffirmed his country’s backing for all initiatives aimed at resolving the Libyan crisis, especially those seeking to hold simultaneous presidential and parliamentary elections, the statement added.

Haftar expressed appreciation for Egypt’s “pivotal role” and Sisi’s personal efforts in supporting security and stability in Libya, as well as Cairo’s continued assistance to the Libyan people since the start of the conflict, according to the statement.

The UN mission in Libya is currently working to push the country toward elections to resolve the standoff between two rival governments.

Libya remains divided between two rival administrations: one led by Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh in Tripoli, which controls the west of the country, and another appointed by the House of Representatives (parliament) in early 2022, led by Osama Hammad and based in Benghazi, which governs the east and much of the south.

Sisi and Haftar also discussed regional developments, especially the situation in Sudan, the presidency said.

Both sides agreed on the importance of intensifying regional and international efforts to reach a peaceful settlement that preserves Sudan’s stability, sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The statement added that stability in Sudan is closely linked to the national security of both Egypt and Libya.

A bloody conflict between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) began in April 2023 and has since killed thousands of people and displaced millions of others.