U.S. Warns of Libya Escalation But Sees Window for Peace

(Bloomberg) -- The U.S. ambassador to Libya said on Thursday his country was concerned by a Russian military build-up in the North African state that could prompt Turkey to send in F-16 jets, but there's a window for peace.

Ambassador Richard Norland said both sides in the war in Libya faced a choice. “Either to watch it escalate to a full-blown regional conflict or to deescalate.”

The U.S. has accused Russia of moving in at least 14 jet fighters to the east, as well as mercenaries, to support eastern commander Khalifa Haftar, who lost most of his footholds around the capital Tripoli following a Turkish intervention in support of the internationally recognized government. On Thursday, Haftar's self-styled Libyan National Army said it was redeploying from Tripoli and would resume ceasefire talks.

“They should take advantage of the window that's opening now,” Norland told reporters on a conference call. “It's clear there is a growing momentum in the Libyan body politic to bring this conflict to an end.”

But the ambassador said that deploying Russian aircraft could lead to escalation. “The introduction of those aircraft could just as easily lead to the Turks bringing in F-16s and that's the last thing anybody needs in this part of the world.”

The U.S. had sent mixed messages early in the war, which Haftar launched with an attack on the capital in April 2019. But it has pressed more forcefully for peace since Russia ratcheted up its intervention. The war has also drawn in thousands of mercenaries fighting for both sides, including Russians, Syrians and Sudanese militiamen.