UN mission in Libya plans new round of national dialogue

The UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) has announced that a new round of national dialogue will be held next Tuesday to boost peace in the war-torn country, according to a statement published Wednesday.

The UNSMIL statement said it had communicated with the concerned parties in an attempt to find ways to end the political and security crisis in Libya through dialogue.

"After consultation with the Libyan parties, UNSMIL will call a new round of political dialogue to be held on Dec. 9, 2014. A detailed announcement will be made in the next few days," Xinhua quoted the statement as saying.

Libya has been witnessing a frayed political process after the 2011 turmoil which toppled its former leader Muammar Gaddafi. The country is now juggling between two rival parliaments and governments.

According to Libya's transitional plan, the parliament elected in June, the House of Representatives, has already replaced the former interim General National Congress (GNC). However, the armed Islamist alliance Libya Dawn, which secured a series of military victories lately in Tripoli, backed the GNC to resume power and form its own government against the new one.

The first round of the national dialogue was held in Libya's southwestern city of Ghadames Sep 29. Although most parties attending the gathering agreed on a truce, no ceasefire was actually reached.

Since mid-November, Libya's national army has launched assaults on areas controlled by Islamist militants. Several air strikes have hit cities, including Tripoli, Zuwarah, Zawiya, Sorman and Gharyan. Fierce fighting still continues in Benghazi.