Algeria foreign minister visits Tripoli for Libya talks

By Walid Abdullah
TRIPOLI (AA) – Algerian Foreign Minister Sabri Boukadoum arrived in the Libyan capital, Tripoli, according to the country's internationally recognized government.

The top Algerian diplomat is scheduled to meet head of the Government of National Accord (GNA), Fayez al-Sarraj, later Tuesday for talks, a source with the Libyan Presidential Council said.

Bouadoum's visit comes days after he met with eastern Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar in the city of Benghazi earlier this month.

Algeria has been conducting a shuttle diplomacy in recent weeks to defuse tension in war-torn Libya and foster the ceasefire in its capital, Tripoli.

Since early April, forces loyal to Haftar have been launching a campaign to capture Tripoli from the GNA forces.

Clashes between the two sides since then have left more than 1,000 people dead and about 5,500 wounded, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Libya has remained beset by turmoil since 2011, when long-time ruler Muammar Gaddafi was ousted and killed in a bloody NATO-backed uprising after four decades in power.

The oil-rich country has since seen the emergence of two rival seats of power: one in eastern Libya, with which Haftar is affiliated, and the Tripoli-based GNA, which enjoys the UN recognition.