Libya's Haftar tours Rome and Paris amid military stalemate

Libyan strongman Khalifa Haftar, who has launched a military offensive against the UN-recognised government in Tripoli, held surprise talks with Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte in Rome on Thursday ahead of a visit to Paris next week, officials said.

Conte said he urged Haftar to call a ceasefire to his assault on the government of Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj, who also travelled to Rome and Paris for talks last week.

"It was a fairly long meeting, a lengthy exchange of information," Conte told journalists. "I informed him of the government's position. We want a ceasefire and we feel that the political path is the only solution."