15 nations at the Madrid Summit on Libya today unanimously rejected the government’s call for a military intervention in the country, saying there was no military solution to the crisis.
The Libyan government controls little to no territory anymore, with various militias controlling different cities, and the military largely under control of Gen. Khalifa Hifter, who is trying to launch a coup d’etat. The government has sought foreign militaries to restore them to power.
Spanish FM Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo said that the status quo was unacceptable, warning Libya faces a Syria-style civil war, and Libya’s Foreign Minister Mohamed Abdulaziz warned foreign airstrikes being launched by Egypt and the UAE (who are backing Hifter) would not help the situation.
Cohesion in the Libyan government seems to be waning, with Prime Minister Abdullah al-Thinni proposing a new cabinet, and the parliament spurning the idea, saying they want no foreign passport-holding cabinet ministers, and no more than 10 ministers.
