EU leaders met the head of Libya’s UN-recognised government yesterday as they scramble to contain the escalating crisis on their southern flank amid concerns about illegal migration and terrorism.

Fayez al-Sarraj, whose beleaguered Government of National Accord is facing an offensive by rival forces who control the country’s east, met EU diplomatic chief Josep Borrell, who earlier cautioned that Libya was facing a “watershed point”.

Borrell’s warning came after military strongman Khalifa Haftar’s forces—who have support from the UAE, Egypt and Russia—seized control of the coastal city of Sirte as part of his drive to take Tripoli and oust the GNA.

As well as Borrell, Sarraj met the EU Council President Charles Michel and German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, who a day earlier took part in emergency talks on Libya with his French, British and Italian counterparts.