Libya shows progress towards reconciliation, say observers.

Libya, a country that has been plagued by war for years, may be making progress towards reconciliation between its two rival governments. Analysts point to discord within the eastern-based camp, backed by military strongman Khalifa Haftar, where the parliament recently suspended its former premier Fathi Bashagha. Some observers suggest that this could aid United Nations-led efforts urging new elections this year. The move against Bashagha reflects the differences in the eastern camp, particularly between the Haftar clan and the parliament. Meanwhile, Tripoli-based interim Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah has used the paralysis of the eastern government to consolidate his grip on political and economic life in Libya. Talks have been held between representatives of Haftar and Dbeibah, and there is hope for an agreement by mid-June to hold elections before the end of this year. Libyan political analyst Abdallah Al-Rayes said the rival camps’ new understandings are the culmination of discreet negotiations in Cairo with a view to forming a new coalition government.