From the DW:
“Libya: Rival authorities
declare immediate cease-fire”
Both the UN-backed GNA government
in Tripoli and the east-based parliament supported by military strongman Khalifa
Haftar have announced a cease-fire in the restive region. The GNA has also
called for elections in March. Libya's neighboring warring rival governments on
Friday announced an immediate nationwide cease-fire. Prime minister of the
Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA), Fayez Sarraj, said he had
instructed aligned forces to observe an immediate ceasefire and end all combat
operations across the oil-rich country. The international-backed government
also called for demilitarizing the strategic city of Sirte, which is controlled
by rival forces. Tripoli also announced that parliamentary and presidential
elections will be held in March next year. In a separate statement, Aguila
Saleh, speaker of the eastern-based House of Representatives, also called for a
cease-fire. That Parliament has the backing of military strongman Khalifa
Haftar. Both rival administrations said they want an end to an oil blockade
imposed by Hafter earlier this year and called for oil revenues, Libya's
primary source of revenue, to flow into the bank account of the National Oil
Corporation outside the country. The announcements came amid fears of
escalating violence in the more than 9-year-old conflict. Both sides were
mobilizing to fight over Sirte, also a major oil export terminal.
International reactions The UN's top official to Libya,
Stephanie Williams, urged "all parties to rise to this historic occasion
and shoulder their full responsibilities before the Libyan people." Egyptian
President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, whose government has been a supporter of the
eastern-based administration, hailed the ceasefire declarations. "I
welcome statements by Libya's presidential council and the House of
Representatives calling for a cease-fire and halting military operations in all
Libyan territory," Sisi said in a tweet, adding that the ceasefire is an
"important step" to restoring peace to the region. The North African nation plunged into chaos in
2011 after NATO-backed rebels overthrew former president and long-time
dictator, Moammar Gadhafi. Libya has since been divided between GNA forces
ruling in Tripoli and Haftar's LNA forces dominating the east. Turkey, Qatar
and Italy support Sarraj's Tripoli-government and GNA forces. Haftar's
eastern-based forces are supported by the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, France
and Russia. On a surprise visit to Tripoli on Monday, German Foreign Minister
Heiko Maas had warned Libya faces a "deceptive calm" since fighting
eased around Sirte.
^ Hopefully the different sides
can keep the ceasefire and Libya can start returning to normal after years of
war. ^
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