A warring faction in Tripoli, Libya has declared a ceasefire on Friday.
Internationally recognised Government of National Accord (GNA), which controls only the western part of the country, in a statement from its leadership, said it has “issued instructions to all military forces to immediately cease fire and all combat operations in all Libyan territories.”
There was no immediate comment from Khalifa Haftar or his Libyan National Army (LNA), though the head of an eastern-based parliament that is aligned with Haftar issued a statement appealing for an end to hostilities across the country.
The GNA has been locked in conflict with east-Libyan based forces led by veteran commander Haftar, who launched a 14-month offensive on Tripoli before Turkish support for the GNA forced him to retreat in June.
GNA head Fayez al-Sarraj, in the statement, appealed for the LNA to lift a blockade on oil facilities that have all but halted the country’s output, saying revenue should be held in a special account and only be released after a political deal was reached.
Previous efforts to secure lasting ceasefires have stalled.
The LNA is backed by the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Russia. International intervention in Libya has deepened since the LNA offensive began in April 2019.
The GNA appealed in its statement for the LNA to lift a blockade on oil facilities that have all but halted the country’s output, saying revenue should be held in a special account and only be released after a political deal was reached.