Libya’s Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj on Sunday called on international troops to protect civilians in government-controlled areas if Libyan warlord Khalifa Haftar continues his military offensive.

Axar.az reports citing Turkish media.

In an interview with German weekly Welt am Sonntag ahead of the Berlin conference on Libyan peace, al-Sarraj urged the international community to assume more responsibility to end the violence.

“If Khalifa Haftar would not stop his offensive, the international community should take a more active stance, also by sending international troops to protect the Libyan civilian population,” he said.

Al-Sarraj underlined that such an international protection force should be deployed under the United Nations umbrella.

“Then experts must discuss who should take part in this force, such as the EU or the African Union or the Arab League,” he added.

Libya’s internationally recognized government in Tripoli had been under attack by the warlord Khalifa Haftar since April last year, and fighting over the last nine months killed more than 1,000 people.

On Jan. 12, the warring sides of the Libyan conflict announced a cease-fire in response to a joint call by Turkish and Russian leaders.

But talks for a permanent cease-fire deal ended without an agreement on Monday after Haftar left Moscow without signing the deal.