Libyan Rivals Swap Prisoners for 2nd Time in Week

For the second time in 1 week, the Libyan rivals exchanged prisoners on Monday as part of a cease-fire agreement they inked two months ago in Geneva.

The exchange of the second batch of prisoners was supervised by a joint military committee. It took place in the southwestern village of al-Shwayrif.

According to Libyan media sources, 5 members of the Libyan National Army (LNA) were released, in exchange for one from the Government of National Accord (GNA).

On Saturday, the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) welcomed the exchange of 48 prisoners between the LNA and the GNA, according to Sputnik news agency.

In a tweet, the mission said, “UNSMIL welcomes the remarkable success registered today by the exchange of prisoners from both sides under the supervision of the Joint Military Commission (5+5), and thanks to the good offices of the tribal sheikhs and elders.”

Moreover, it urged both parties to accelerate the full implementation of the comprehensive ceasefire agreement, signed in Geneva, on October 23, 2020.

Libya is split between an UN-supported government in the capital, Tripoli, to the west of the North African country, and rival authorities based in the east. The two sides are backed by an array of local militias as well as regional and foreign powers.

The oil-rich country was plunged into chaos after the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that toppled and killed longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi.

In April 2019, east-based commander Khalifa Hifter and his forces launched an offensive to try and capture Tripoli, a campaign that stalled after months of fighting and eventually collapsed in June. Hifter’s forces have since withdrawn to the coastal city of Sirte.

The two sides signed a nationwide, UN-brokered cease-fire deal in October that included an exchange of all war prisoners.