Libya’s warring rival administrations on Friday announced the cessation of all fighting in the territory and called for the holding of elections in the country, reported Reuters.
In a statement, Fayez al-Sarraj, head of the Tripoli-based, UN-recognized Government of National Unity (GNA), called for “presidential and parliamentary elections in March on a constitutional basis that enjoys the consensus of all Libyans.”
Al-Sarraj issued instructions to all military forces to immediately cease fire and all combat operations in all Libyan territories. He added the ultimate aim of the truce is to impose full sovereignty over the Libyan territory and the departure of foreign forces and mercenaries.
The Tripoli-based GNA has also called for parliamentary and presidential elections to be held in March next year.
In a separate statement, Aguila Saleh, the speaker of the eastern-based parliament, announced that the elections would be held without giving a date. He called on “all parties” to observe “an immediate ceasefire and a halt to all fighting throughout Libya”.
Saleh said the ceasefire is aimed at preventing foreign military intervention in Libya.
Both the warring administrations said they want an end to an oil blockade imposed by eastern commander Khalifa Haftar since earlier this year. Haftar’s Libyan National Army (LNA) launched an offensive to seize Tripoli from the GNA in April 2019. Turkish support for the GNA forced the LNA to retreat in June. The LNA has got support from the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Russia.
The ceasefire announcement by Libya’s warring parties was welcomed by the United Nations and other regional and international countries.
“All parties to rise to this historic occasion and shoulder their full responsibilities before the Libyan people,” the acting U.N. envoy to Libya Stephanie Williams said.
Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said he welcomed the GNA and LNA’s call for a ceasefire.
