Progress in talks to remove foreign fighters from Libya

Progress in Libya talks: Libyan Foreign Minister Najla Mangoush said there had been progress towards an agreement to withdraw foreign fighters from Libya during talks between the interim government and world powers in Berlin yesterday, Reuters reports. “Hopefully within the coming days mercenaries [on] both sides will be withdrawn,” she told reporters following the meeting, without giving further details. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas pledged to “not stop working” until all foreign forces had left, though said it would be a “step by step” process. The government also pledged to stick to its timetable and hold national elections in December.

In attendance: Members of Libya’s interim government held talks with foreign ministers from Egypt, Turkey, Tunisia, Algeria, France and Italy, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and officials from Russia, the UAE and others.