UAE calls for countering terrorism in Libya as fighting grips Tripoli

"Extremist militias" controlling the Libyan capital, Tripoli, were "derailing" the search for a political solution to the country's crisis, a senior United Arab Emirates (UAE) official said on Thursday. "Abu Dhabi agreement offered the opportunity to support the U.N.-led process. Meanwhile, extremist militias continue to control capital and derail search for a political solution," Anwar Gargash, UAE's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, said in a Twitter post.

"Priority in Libya (is) to counter extremism/terrorism and support stability in long drawn out the crisis," he added.

Khalifa Haftar, who launched the offensive to take control of Tripoli, enjoys the backing of Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, which see him as a bulwark against Islamists and have supported him militarily, according to U.N. reports.

The UAE, however, has joined Western countries in expressing its deep concern about the fighting.

Haftar, 75, who casts himself as an opponent of Islamist extremism but is viewed by opponents as a new Gaddafi, was quoted by Al-Arabiya TV as telling Guterres the operation would continue until terrorism was defeated. The coastal capital Tripoli is the ultimate prize for Haftar's eastern parallel government.

Libyan National Army (LNA) forces of eastern commander Khalifa Haftar moved out of their stronghold in eastern Libya to take the sparsely-populated but oil-rich south earlier this year, are now heading towards Tripoli, where the internationally-recognised government of Prime Minister Fayez al-Serraj sits.

Libya has been split into rival eastern and western administrations since the 2011 topping of former strongman Muammar Gaddafi. The United Nations wants to bring both sides together to plan an election and way out of the chaos.

World powers have reiterated calls for peace after renewed fighting around the capital has displaced at least 4,500 Tripoli residents most moving away from conflict areas to safer districts of the city but many remain trapped.