OREANDA-NEWS. Russia is blocking the adoption of a UN Security Council resolution on the extension of the UN Support Mission in Libya, whose mandate expires on September 15. Representatives of Moscow do not agree with the text of the resolution proposed by the UK, AFP reported on Tuesday, September 14, citing diplomatic sources.

According to the information received, the Russian side is not satisfied with those sections of the document that speak about the withdrawal of foreign troops from Libya, as well as about the role of the UN special envoy. At previous meetings of the Security Council, Russian representatives have already insisted that in the event of a withdrawal of troops, the balance of forces in the North African country should be preserved.

In 2011, after the overthrow of dictator Muammar Gaddafi, chaos reigned in Libya. A national unity government led by Fayez al-Sarraj was formed in Tripoli, which received UN recognition, but controlled only a smaller part of the country. At the same time, a unicameral parliament — the House of Representatives — was sitting in the east of the country, in Tobruk.

Most of the eastern regions of Libya were controlled by the formations of Gaddafi's ex-ally General Khalifa Haftar. In April 2019, he launched an offensive on Tripoli. Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Russia were behind Haftar. Turkey, for it's part, supported the government in Tripoli.

However, in October 2020, the parties to the Libyan conflict signed an agreement on a permanent ceasefire. On February 5, representatives of the parties to the conflict in Libya elected a transitional government within the framework of the Geneva forum mediated by the UN. On March 10, in Sirte, the Libyan parliament approved this composition of the Cabinet of Ministers, which should lead the country until the elections scheduled for December 24.