Geneva: Libya's rival factions have agreed to form a national unity government to end the deadly civil war and secure phased withdrawal of armed groups from all Libyan cities as the violence in the strife-torn country displaced about 4,00,000 Libyans recently, the UN said today.
The Libyan peace talks in Geneva facilitated by the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) and headed by Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Libya (SRSGL), Bernardino Leon, concluded yesterday.
"The participants agreed after extensive deliberation on an agenda that includes reaching a political agreement to form a consensual national unity government and the necessary security arrangements to end the fighting and secure the phased withdrawal of armed groups from all Libyan cities to allow the State to assert its authority over the country's vital facilities," UN spokesperson Corinne-Momal Vanian said in a statement.
The number of people who have been displaced due to violence has increased especially around Benghazi, Derna and near the Gulf of Sidra in Ben Jawad and Ras Lanuf.
"Across the country we estimate that approximately 4,00,000 people are displaced. In addition, Libya is host to nearly 37,000 refugees and asylum-seekers of different nationalities whose humanitarian conditions are increasingly precarious," said William Spindler, spokesperson for United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
Participants will return to Geneva next week for another round of dialogues which UN hopes will include representatives of municipalities and armed groups, as well as political, social and tribal personalities.
Near western Tripoli, where the militia are in control, NGOs and local councils estimate that around 83,268 people are living in schools and abandoned buildings where the temperature is below 10 degrees Celsius.
In the south western Libyan town of Awbari daily lives of civilians has been severely disrupted by ongoing fighting that has erupted between rival tribal groups. About 18,492 people have been internally displaced in six towns.
Libya has been in turmoil after the 2011 NATO-backed revolt that ousted long time ruler Muammar Gaddafi.
Up to 30,000 people have been killed and 50,000 wounded in Libya's six-month civil war.
