Political Scientist Lisa Anderson explores how the local players in the Libyan conflict affect the decision-making of states, both in North Africa and beyond.

The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) said yesterday that it was alarmed by the continuing escalation of violence in Libya, particularly by the intensification of fighting in the past few days, resulting in civilian casualties and risking new waves of displacement.

Libya’s UN-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) has declared a 10-day curfew starting Friday to fight the novel coronavirus, Anadolu reports.

Libya’s National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) announced 13 new Coronavirus / Covid-19 cases yesterday. It’s the biggest increase in a day since Tuesday’s announcement of 9 new cases. it brings the country’s total cases to 48.

The head of Libya’s UN-recognised government Fayez al-Sarraj has said he would not resume negotiations with renegade commander Khalifa Haftar, accusing him of exploiting the coronavirus pandemic to launch a new offensive against the government.

The Man-made River Authority (MMRA) has said that water supplies have started flowing back to Tripoli and effected areas since Monday.

Russia wanted more leverage over an aspiring Libyan strongman. The White House provided it by assenting to a disastrous civil war.

Despite pleas by the United Nations and international humanitarian organisations to suspend violence, at least temporarily during the coronavirus pandemic, the Libyan civil war continues as usual.

The new coronavirus is spreading into conflict-affected states. The pandemic and efforts to contain it are much more likely to aggravate and multiply conflicts than reduce or end them.

Libya’s Tripoli-based Foreign Ministry announced plans on Sunday to repatriate citizens stranded abroad during the Coronavirus pandemic.