‘Permanent’: Libya Ceasefire Called and Fallout

By Yousuf Ali

Libya had a new development regarding its ongoing civil war between the internationally recognized government and rebels led by general Khalifa Haftar on Oct. 24. There was a United Nations-backed agreement for a ceasefire between the warring factions. Libyans are skeptical of whether or not this agreement will hold up.

According to Al Jazeera, “Friday’s deal was signed in Geneva by military delegates from the two main warring parties in the North African country, which plunged into violence in 2011 with the NATO-backed revolt that toppled former leader Muammar Gaddafi. The Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) and rival forces led by renegade military commander Khalifa Haftar agreed to withdraw from the front lines, start demobilising armed groups and set about integrating them into the state. Crucially, the deal also calls for the departure of all foreign forces from Libyan soil within three months.” 

This provision is particularly salient as Haftar’s forces have been openly backed by countries like Egypt and the United Arab Emirates with allegations that they have the support of Western powers like France. Furthermore, Turkey provided direct military assistance to the internationally recognized government when it was under threat of FAlling to an assault by Haftar’s forces.

In the days following the ceasefire, there are signs that tensions are easing between the Tripoli based government and foreign countries backing Haftar.

“Libya’s internationally recognized government has agreed to release two Russian political operatives who’ve been jailed for more than a year, officials said, signaling a detente with Moscow, which had backed a rival in a devastating civil war,” Bloomberg reported.  This was within the week of the agreement that had a provision requiring the withdrawal of foreign fighters from Libya, and while, those released were not soldiers, the fact that the the Libyan government would do such things to citizens of a hostile country accused of trying to undermine it has many analysts thinking that this agreement is different than the others and more likely to last longer.