The head of Libya’s U.N.-backed government will hold talks in Paris this week with a powerful military commander who has so far rejected his authority, a diplomatic source said.
The talks between Prime Minister Fayez al-Serraj and commander Khalifa Haftar are aimed at stabilizing the oil-producing country, which has been mired in chaos and fighting since rebels toppled strongman Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.
The two rivals held talks in Abu Dhabi in May, the first in more than a year and a half.
“I know Haftar is in Paris already, Serraj is due to arrive soon. They are aiming for Tuesday,” the diplomatic source told Reuters.
Diplomats say the Paris talks will focus on agreeing on key principles – that the political accord is the way forward, that no military solution exists, and Libya’s military should be under civilian control.
