Russia tells Libya’s Haftar to seek peaceful resolution of conflict with Tripoli govt

Libyan military commander Khalifa Haftar called Moscow and spoke to the special envoy for the Middle East and Africa Mikhail Bogdanov, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The general explained his motivation for launching a military campaign targeting Tripoli, the seat of power for the UN-recognized government, with which Haftar competes. He said the operation targets “terrorist and extremist groups,” including those around Tripoli. In response, the Russian official “reiterated the support for political methods of resolution of all conflicts in the Libyan society” and the UN efforts, the statement said.