Libya on Thursday condemned Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi who said Cairo could arm Libyan tribes against the country's internationally recognized government.
Speaking to Al-Jazeera, Libyan Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammed al-Qablawi criticized el-Sissi's recent comments as "blatant interference in Libya's internal affairs."
"El-Sissi repeats his previous statements, which is blatant interference in Libyan affairs," he said, adding that his speech was "not aimed at peace. It is he who is fueling the [Libyan] conflict."
The Egyptian president on Thursday met with the heads of several Libyan tribes in the Egyptian capital Cairo, where he said his country "will not stand aside" in the face increasing military mobilization near the city of Sirte in northern Libya.
The Libyan High Council of State condemned el-Sissi's call to arm the Libyan tribes, saying it would lead to more fighting and further division in the country.
Earlier in June, el-Sissi suggested that Cairo could launch "external military missions" into Libya, saying "any direct intervention in Libya has already become legitimate internationally."
He said the city of Sirte and the al-Jufra airbase were their "red line," calling on his army to "be prepared to carry out any domestic or cross-border missions.
Since April 2019, putschist Gen. Khalifa Haftar's illegitimate forces have launched attacks on the Libyan capital of Tripoli and other parts of northwestern Libya, resulting in more than 1,000 deaths, including civilians.
However, the Libyan government has recently achieved some significant victories, pushing Haftar's forces out of Tripoli and the strategic city of Tarhuna.
