The Libyan Foreign Minister Mohammed Sayala said Friday that calls for an unconditional ceasefire would make the attackers of Tripoli, who wish to return Libya to dictatorship, and its defenders, who wish to build a civilian state, equal.

Speaking at Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TIKAD), Sayala said the offensive against Tripoli was made possible through foreign support, yet it failed to seize power by force as Presidential Council's government had foiled it.

"The GNA is exercising its right in defending Tripoli and we welcome Japan's stance at the Group of Seven (G7) summit in France that supported peace and ceasefire in Tripoli provided that Khalifa Haftar's forces return to their previous positions before April 04. Haftar's attacks on Tripoli have killed over 1000 civilians and displaced over 100.000 others." Sayala indicated.

He added that the forces under the Presidential Council's command had fought terrorism and managed to deny terrorists a foothold in Libya, yet they are now facing an armed offensive in Tripoli under the pretext of fighting terrorism.

"Those who want to deprive Libyans of the civilian state should be condemned and those who want to build a democratic state in Libya should be supported." Sayala said.

Sayala participated at the ministerial meeting of TIKAD in Tokyo along with several regional and international countries.