The US along with the UK, France, Italy and Germany issued a joint statement this week condemning the violence in Libya and calling on all parties to agree on a ceasefire. The statement made specific reference to Ansar Al-Sharia, condemning its “crimes”. More interestingly, however, it also expressed its concerns about Hafter and his assault on Benghazi, asserting, “We consider that Libya’s security challenges and the fight against terrorist organizations can only be sustainably addressed by regular armed forces under the control of a central authority which is accountable to a democratic and inclusive parliament.”