Trump calls Libyan commander pushing to seize Tripoli

Published April 19, 2019

President Donald Trump has spoken by phone with Libya's Field Marshal Khalifa Hifter, who is leading an offensive to take over the capital of Tripoli — the seat of the U.N.-supported government.

According to a readout released by the White House on Friday, Trump and Hifter talked about counter-terrorism and the political future of Libya. The call took place earlier in the week.

The statement says: "The President recognized Field Marshal Haftar's significant role in fighting terrorism and securing Libya's oil resources, and the two discussed a shared vision for Libya's transition to a stable, democratic political system."

Hifter is aligned with a rival government in the east that is supported by Trump's allies Egypt and United Arab Emirates.

Fighting between Hifter's army and Tripoli forces threatens to ignite a civil war.

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