Forces loyal to the internationally recognised Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA) are pictured at the entrance gate leading to Tripoli's old airport on April 8, 2019 | Mahmud Turkia/AFP via Getty Images Mogherini: EU united against violence in Libya North African country has two competing capitals, and appears on the brink of civil war.

LUXEMBOURG — The EU stands united in calling for a deescalation of violence in Libya, the bloc's foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, said Monday.

The EU's top diplomat, speaking at the end of a summit of foreign ministers, said: “I see unity among member states ... first of all urging all parties and all regional players to implement fully an immediate humanitarian truce as requested by the U.N: secondly, to avoid further military escalation ... and to go back to the negotiating table.”

The North African country appears on the brink of civil war after General Khalīfa Haftar, leader of an Egypt-backed government in the eastern city of Tobruk, launched an offensive against Tripoli, home of the internationally recognized government led by Fāyez al-Sarrāj.

The country has been split between two capitals since a France-led NATO intervention in 2011 that toppled longtime leader Muammar Gaddafi. Regional players support both leaders, with Al-Sarrāj backed by Qatar and Turkey, while Haftar has the backing of Saudi Arabia and the Emirates as well as Egypt.

European support is harder to work out.

One of the EU's fears is that the Libyan crisis could lead to a new wave of migrants.

Europe officially backs the Tripoli-based government. But the Libyan prime minister has reportedly protested to the French ambassador to Libya, Béatrice du Hellen, about alleged French support for Haftar. Italy, the former colonial power in Libya, has in the past complained about French support for Haftar, the strongman in the East.

However, France was among the countries that urged all parties to seek restraint, during a G7 summit of foreign ministers on Friday. And on Saturday the Italian foreign minister, Enzo Moavero, was quoted as saying that, during the G7 talks, Rome and Paris “agreed completely.”

Yet a senior diplomat at the foreign ministers' meeting in Luxembourg was not convinced. “Somebody at the table would like to see Haftar prevailing and bringing some stability,” he said. An EU official said “in this moment I don't understand which line is Paris taking.”

Among ministers there are serious concerns about the Libyan situation. “I know that there are vested interests in the area, but Libya's fragmentation will also be a security threat for Europe ... I am worried about it,” said Finland's Timo Soini.

One of the EU's fears is that the Libyan crisis could lead to a new wave of migrants, which, a few weeks before the European election, could affect the vote.

Yet the EU official is not worried: “I don't expect Haftar to prevail, he does not have all the means, but even if he did he will want to show stability, unless he will let some migrants leave [just] to blackmail Rome.”