U.S. Backs Egyptian Efforts in Libya: State Department

On Sunday, The U.S. State Department Spokesperson has said that Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi's remarks regarding Libya underscored the importance of working to end the ceasefire by Libya, its neighbors, and other external parties.

"The US government supported the Egyptian efforts to launch a political initiative led by the United Nations which includes all the warring parties in Libya," he added.

In a statement, the spokesperson stated that working to halt the ceasefire would help avoid the ongoing conflict in Sirte and Jafra.

He said that the road map towards stability required a cease-fire and an immediate resumption of Libyan oil production, and the initiation of a political process.

He explained that the United States supported the efforts currently underway to reach an agreement to restore Libyan oil production to improve security and economic conditions in Libya.

The spokesperson pointed out that the United States supported the desire of all Libyans to put an end to foreign military intervention and stop violating the UN arms embargo on Libya as well as other commitments made in Berlin on January 19.

Cairo brandished "direct military intervention" in Libya in case the forces loyal to the Government of National Accord (GNA) continued to advance toward Sirte, a strategic city on the Mediterranean.

Meanwhile, Ankara considered that any ceasefire in Libya was linked to the withdrawal of the Libyan National Army forces led by Khalifa Haftar from Sirte, which the Al-Wefaq government forces are seeking to control.

Egypt and Turkey support a different party to the Libyan conflict.

For weeks, battles have been taking place surrounding Sirte between forces loyal to the Turkish-backed Government of National Accord and the forces of Marshal Khalifa Haftar backed by Egypt.

Egypt's Sisi statements on Libya

Egyptian President warned earlier Saturday in his speech in Sidi Barani district in Matrouh Governorate bordering Libya against the foreign intervention in Libya for it composes a threat to regional, European, and global security and stability.

The president asserted the withdrawal of mercenaries from Libya and the necessity that militias give up their arms to the Libyan National Army (LNA).

"Any direct intervention by Egypt in Libya has become legitimate in line with UNSC resolutions, and upon the call of the legitimate authority in Libya," President Sisi said.

The president underlined the outcomes of the Germany Conference held in January stating that all foreign powers shall refrain from supplying arms to Libyan armed groups.

"If Egypt had illegitimate goals in Libya, we would intervene years ago. We would not accept that history documents that we intervened in time of Libya's weakness…Jufrah and Sirte are a red line…The current line must be maintained. The party who would not respect it would attain neither the west nor the east. The political process must go forward," the president tells a representative of Libyan tribes.