Fresh clashes have broken out in the Libyan capital a few hours after an agreement announcing an “immediate ceasefire” was signed by the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA), local mayors and militias from Tripoli and third city Misrata.
Clashes erupted in the capital since the beginning of the week between pro-GNA forces and other armed groups. The agreement that was signed on Thursday called on all armed groups that do not want to recognize the GNA as the government of the country to leave the capital within 30 days and to release all the detainees they have been holding since Monday.
The Thowar Tarabulus and the Abu Slim Brigade, two powerful armed groups in the capital, have rejected the agreement. In response to the ceasefire deal, the Abu Slim Brigade stressed that it is not a signatory to the agreement and “will only accept full solutions” while Thowar Tarabulus posted on Facebook that the “agreement signed in the presence of the presidency council does not represent us.”
Meanwhile, no group has claimed responsibility for triggering the new clashes.
The shaky ceasefire deal is not expected to last long because the GNA does not have the resources to control the actions of the militia groups in the capital. Thowar Tarabulus controls the city center of Tripoli while Abu Slim Brigade controls the southern working-class district of the same name.
The clashes in the past few days left former Prime Minister Khalifa Ghweil injured as his forces were also involved but it is reported that the injuries are not life threatening.
