Vijay Prashad raises the alarm on the situation in Libya which has been ravaged by an imperialist war since 2011

Last month, Egypt had threatened “direct intervention” in Libya if the Turkish-backed Government of National Accord did not back off from its mission to take back the eastern city of Sirte from Khalifa Haftar’s forces

The decade-long conflict in Libya following the 2011 NATO invasion is now at a critical juncture, and may spiral into a regional war if no serious measures are taken to prevent such a situation

The statement comes even as the warring factions in the country are backed by various EU members and are supplied arms by them. The conflict in Libya has escalated over the past few weeks

The chaos created by the NATO-led invasion of Libya in 2011 has made the country a breeding ground for human trafficking to Europe, leading to hundreds of deaths each year

The head of the WHO mission in Libya warned that the healthcare system in the country “was close to collapse”. Libya faces a severe shortage of testing equipment, protective gear and medical personnel, along with the money required to pay for them

The warlord who had initially agreed to the ceasefire proposed by Russia and Turkey withdrew saying that it did not address his concerns. His rival group, the Government of National Accord, has already signed the agreement

The move is being seen as part of Turkey’s attempts to consolidate its position as a regional hegemon. The actual deployment of troops will take place once the Turkish parliament ratifies the decision

The proxy war being waged in Libya for almost a decade has heated up with regional and international powers, including Turkey, competing for greater control over the region’s resources

The competition between Turkey and countries such as Egypt, Israel and Greece has added further complexity to the conflict in Libya.

The tragedy, the biggest of its kind this year, has intensified the UN refugee agency’s calls to open safe pathways for refugees who otherwise take perilous journeys to escape poverty and war.

The people on the boat had set off from Zuwara in Libya towards Europe in an inflatable boat, which sank nine miles away from the Tunisian port town of Zarzis.