UN's Libya welcomes prisoner release as start of 'nationwide reconciliation'

AL-MONITOR Staff

Prisoners of war, loyal to the forces of Libya's eastern military strongman Khalifa Haftar, are pictured upon their release by the new Libyan unity government on March 31, 2021 in the port city of Zawiya, 50 kilometres (30 miles) west of the Libyan capital Tripoli, following the latest peace deal between the North African country's former rival governments. - The two sides have completed more than one prisoner swap this year as Libya's eastern administration officially handed over power to a new executive t — Prisoners of war loyal to the forces of Libya's eastern military strongman Khalifa Hifter are pictured upon their release by the new Libyan unity government on March 31, 2021, in the port city of Zawiya, Libya. — MAHMUD TURKIA/AFP via Getty Images

The UN mission in Libya hailed the release of more than 100 prisoners loyal to renegade commander Khalifa Hifter, calling the initiative the start of a “nationwide reconciliation.”

In a ceremony attended by members of Libya’s transitional government, 107 detainees were released from prison in the western city of Zawiya on Wednesday. The prisoners had fought with Hifter’s eastern-based Libyan National Army, which has been embroiled in a civil war against the UN-backed Government of National Accord since 2014.

The rival factions agreed to a cease-fire in October that ended the fighting and opened the door for UN-led peace talks, which led to the appointment of an interim government in February. Led by Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, the Government of National Unity is tasked with organizing general elections in December 2021.

The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) tweeted that it “welcomes the efforts undertaken by the Government of National Unity” to release the prisoners.

UN's Libya welcomes prisoner release as start of 'nationwide reconciliation'

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