TRIPOLI (REUTERS) - Armed groups vying for control of the Libyan capital have agreed to set up a mechanism to"consolidate" a recently agreed ceasefire, the United Nations'Libya mission, UNSMIL, said on Sunday (Sept 9).
On Tuesday, the United Nations persuaded various armed groups to halt fighting that had killed dozens in Tripoli, one of the many sites of unrest gripping the oil producer.
"Parties agreed today to freeze their forces' movements, a monitoring & verification mechanism to consolidate the ceasefire + development of a plan to withdraw armed groups from sovereign locations and critical infrastructure in #Tripoli," UNSMIL tweeted.
At a meeting, UNSMIL Libya envoy Ghassan Salame urged the armed groups to address issues through understanding, not bloodletting, UNSMIL said, showing pictures of the event. It gave no further details.
Tripoli is formally controlled by the internationally recognised Government of National Accord, but armed groups working with the GNA act with autonomy.
Eastern Libya is controlled by a rival administration. The fighting started at the end of August because armed groups outside Tripoli had opposed a cartel of four "super militias" controlling access to state funds and foreign currency at a huge discount from the central bank.
The ceasefire has largely held, allowing residents to buy food, as well as fuel for the generators that have been needed to provide power because of an electricity outage in western Libya.
