CAIRO: Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has announced a unilateral initiative to end the civil war in Libya.

Egyptian President told a news conference in Cairo that his initiative includes a cease-fire starting Monday and is meant to pave the way for elections in oil-rich Libya.

He warned against continuing to look for a military solution to the country’s crisis. He said the initiative could be a new start in Libya.

Meanwhile, Libyan military commander Khalifa Haftar has backed a ceasefire in Libya to take effect from Monday.

Saudi Arabia welcomed Egypt’s new initiative and urged both to start negotiating under the auspices of the UN in order to establish safety and security in Libya and protect it from foreign interference.