On Friday, the United Nations called for restraint after Libya’s Tripoli-based government raised its alert level.
This came in response to a potential assault by fighters loyal to eastern strongman Khalifa Haftar in the remote southern desert.
Libya, rich in energy resources, has been unstable since the 2011 NATO-backed ousting of dictator Moamer Kadhafi.
The country remains divided between the UN-recognized government in Tripoli and a rival administration in the east led by Haftar.
A ceasefire from 2020, which followed an attempted assault on Tripoli by Haftar’s forces, has largely held.
However, recent military movements in Libya’s southwest have raised concerns about potential escalation and instability, according to Western governments.
The UN Support Mission in Libya has urged all sides to avoid provocative actions that might threaten the country’s fragile stability.
Meanwhile, the Tripoli-based government has put its forces on high alert and prepared to repel any potential attacks.
The Libyan Arab Armed Forces (LAAF), led by Khalifa Haftar’s son Saddam, announced an operation to secure southern borders.
This move has intensified fears of a return to armed conflict and the collapse of the 2020 ceasefire, with concerns about Haftar’s ambitions in strategic regions.
