Libya Ceasefire Agreement Faces Difficulties... Rebels Say "Cannot Withdraw from Tripoli"

On the 13th (local time), a meeting was held in Moscow, Russia, for the signing of the Libya ceasefire agreement. The parties involved in the Libyan civil war conducted negotiations in Moscow that day under the mediation of Russia and Turkey to sign the ceasefire agreement but failed to conclude the agreement on the same day. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Under the mediation of Russia and Turkey, the Libyan government forces and rebel forces, who were negotiating in Moscow for the signing of a ceasefire agreement, failed to sign the agreement and decided to hold additional negotiations. It is reported that the Libyan rebel side is refusing the government forces' request to withdraw from the capital Tripoli as a condition for the ceasefire. Given the deep-rooted conflict between the two parties and the complicated interests of the major powers supporting the government forces and rebels respectively, future ceasefire negotiations are expected to proceed sluggishly.

According to Russia's TASS news agency, on the 13th (local time), under the mediation of Russia and Turkey, negotiations for the signing of a ceasefire agreement were held in Moscow between the leaders of the Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA) and the Libyan National Army (LNA), but the signing of the agreement failed. The negotiations lasted more than six hours, but the LNA side requested more time until the next day for document review, and it was decided to hold follow-up negotiations thereafter.

Meanwhile, on the same day, the LNA forces surrounding the Libyan capital Tripoli issued a statement refusing to withdraw from Tripoli. The LNA stated in the announcement, "We have the will to liberate all Libyan land," and emphasized, "We will not retreat one step unless the GNA forces withdraw." Since the GNA has set the withdrawal of LNA forces from Tripoli as a key condition of the ceasefire agreement, future negotiation coordination is expected to be difficult.

Libya has been embroiled in civil war since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi's dictatorship following the 2011 'Arab Spring' popular uprising. Since 2014, the country has been divided with the GNA, recognized by the United Nations as the legitimate government, controlling the west centered on Tripoli, and the LNA, led by military commander Khalifa Haftar, controlling the east. The confrontation between the two sides intensified last April when the LNA ordered an advance on the capital Tripoli, resulting in over 2,000 deaths and tens of thousands of refugees over nine months.

Both factions receive support from different major powers, effectively turning the conflict into a proxy war, making it difficult to determine a clear victor and causing the confrontation to drag on. Currently, the GNA is supported by Turkey, Italy, and Qatar, while the LNA receives backing from Russia, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

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