Khalifa Haftar

Libya's justice ministry announced on Sunday that over 450 prisoners were being freed in a bid to protect against the spread of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) in the wake of the war-torn country's first declared infections.

Libya’s rival governments on Friday both announced a two-week closure of schools and universities over fears of the novel coronavirus arriving in the country.

The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) said it would facilitate the ceasefire process alongside a military commission with members from both sides

Libyan strongman Khalifa Haftar vowed on Friday to fight Turkish forces if peace talks in Geneva failed, in comments to a Russian news agency.

Rival forces clashed in the Libyan capital Thursday, witnesses and pro-Government of National Accord (GNA) forces said, a day after a UN Security Council resolution called for a "lasting ceasefire".

An Egyptian court on Saturday sentenced Hisham al-Ashmawy, a former Special Forces officer turned Islamist militant, and 36 others to death after they were convicted of terrorism, court officials said.

African Union leaders are expected to renew calls for greater involvement in efforts to resolve Libya's long-running conflict at a summit held on Thursday in the Republic of the Congo.

Several countries backing rival factions in Libya have violated an arms embargo which they had agreed to uphold a week ago at a summit in Berlin, the United Nations said on Saturday.

Libya's oil production has plunged by around three-quarters since forces loyal to military strongman Khalifa Haftar launched a blockade a week ago, the National Oil Company announced Saturday.

The forces of Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar on Wednesday attacked the only operational airport in Tripoli in a breach of a shaky ceasefire.

The United States on Tuesday called for an immediate resumption of Libya’s lifeline oil exports that have been blocked by forces loyal to military strongman Khalifa Haftar since last week.

World leaders will gather in Berlin on Sunday to make a fresh push for peace in Libya, in a desperate bid to stop the conflict-wracked nation from disintegrating into a "second Syria".

Libyan state oil firm NOC has declared force majeure on oil exports from the eastern ports of Brega, Ras Lanuf, Hariga, Zueitina and Es Sider, a statement said on Saturday.

In the article, which was published on the eve of a Libya peace conference in Berlin, Erdogan said the EU’s failure to adequately support the Government of National Accord (GNA) would be “a betrayal of its own core values, including democracy and human rights”.

Germany’s top diplomat on Thursday travelled to Libya hoping to meet the influential Khalifa Haftar, a general, as part of efforts to negotiate a ceasefire in the country.

Heavy clashes have spurred a growing exodus of migrants from Libya, but nearly 1 000 intercepted at sea have been forced to return to the war-ravaged country since January 1, the UN said on Tuesday.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry confirmed on Tuesday that Libyan military commander, Khalifa Haftar, left Moscow without signing a ceasefire deal with the rival, UN-recognised government.

King Abdullah of Jordan on Monday warned that the Islamic State group was regrouping and was once again on the rise in the Middle East.