Ceasefire In Libya As Coronavirus Cases And Tensions Rise

Libya’s UN-supported government has announced a ceasefire across the country and called for demilitarising the strategic city of Sirte, which is controlled by rival forces.

The ceasefire declaration, matched by a separate statement from the rival House of Representatives in the east, comes amid a 15-fold increase in coronavirus cases in the last two months.

June's 600 cases have risen to more than 9,000, prompting fears of a humanitarian crisis in Libya.

The North African country has already seen civil war and IS terrorism within the last decade.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has been working to improve damaged facilities, distribute food and train 300 infection control workers.

Public services have suffered greatly since Libya's revolution nine years ago, leaving 200,000 displaced.

ICRC's Patrick Youssef said multiple crises are "colliding in a specific area where today people cannot fly out of the country, cannot just flee to another region because, you know, the threat is everywhere".

A NATO-backed uprising in 2011 toppled dictator Muammar Gaddafi, leaving rival administrations in the east and west - both backed by militias.

The conflict in Libya pits General Khalifa Haftar, Commander of the Libyan National Army (LNA), against the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA).

The LNA is backed by Russia, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Jordan.

More than 1,000 civilians have been killed in violence between the two groups, but now both administrations have called for an end to an oil blockade imposed by the camp of Gen Hifter since earlier this year.

Major pipelines had been choked off to pressure the GNA in Tripoli - oil the country's main source of revenue.

The city of Sirte, a gateway to the Gen Hifter's major oil export terminals, is now on course for demilitarisation.

Tobias Borck, a Middle East Analyst at independent defence think tank RUSI, said the agreements "appear to be a result of a US and German" efforts to boost the economy in Libya.

Both statements called for demilitarising the city of Sirte and the Jufra area in central Libya, and a joint police force to be responsible for security there.

"What we haven't yet seen are any statements from the military camps on both sides," added Mr Borck.

Though there was no immediate comment form Gen Hifter’s army, the powerful commander agreed on an Egyptian initiative in June that included a ceasefire.

The UN Support Mission in Libya welcomed both statements, calling for the expulsion of all foreign forces and mercenaries.

Cover image: Libyan GNA fighters (Picture: Reuters).