The war for Tripoli is entering its ninth month, but no resolution appears in sight with efforts to arrange a key peace conference struggling to gain traction. Forces aligned to eastern-based General Khalifa Haftar are still pretty much where they were when they started their offensive in April: 10km from the capital’s center.

The promised quick and clean victory never came (MEES, 5 April). Powerful factions in western Libya, which Mr Haftar hoped would join him, didn’t....