Arab League calls for solving Libyan militias issue

CAIRO

Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit on Saturday called for a comprehensive solution for the issue of armed militias in conflict-ridden Libya.

In a meeting held in Cairo, Aboul Gheit discussed with UN envoy for Libya, Ghassan Salama, the current situation in the North African country.

Aboul Gheit stressed on the "necessity to reach a comprehensive and lasting solution to the problem of armed militias operating outside the authority of the state", according to a statement issued by the Cairo-based league.

He said that resolving this issue is essential for holding successful elections.

The statement said both officials agreed on "continuing efforts for building trust among the Libyan sides and encouraging them to get over their disputes."

Libya has remained dogged by turmoil since 2011, when a bloody NATO-backed uprising led to the ouster and death of President Muammar Gaddafi after more than four decades in power.

Two rival seats of power now vie for supremacy in the North African country: a UN-backed government based in Tripoli and a breakaway government -- with which Haftar is affiliated -- based in the eastern city of Tobruk.