UN envoy warns Libya must enforce ‘last chance’ ceasefire – or face ruin

The people of Libya, “exhausted and scared” after years of brutal war, now face the danger of destruction of their country unless the “last chance” of a ceasefire is seized, a senior UN official has warned.

Stephanie Williams, the UN envoy to Libya, also cautioned that armed intervention by foreign powers is not only prolonging the violence in the country’s civil war, but may lead to confrontations and conflicts elsewhere.

“There is a real risk of this turning into a very dangerous regional war, what we are seeing is an overall picture of foreign intervention which is contributing to the continuation of armed conflict in Libya. There is a real risk of miscalculation which can trigger an even wider conflict,” she said.