TRIPOLI (Reuters) - Major armed factions remained visible on the streets of Libya's capital Tripoli on Thursday after the Government of National Unity said they had agreed to withdraw from checkpoints and stop patrols over the coming weeks. Myriad armed forces have jostled for position in Tripoli since a 2011 NATO-backed uprising that unseated long-time ruler Muammar Gaddafi and led to years of chaos, warfare and insecurity. Interior Minister Emad Trabulsi announced on Wednesday that the main armed factions operating in Tripoli had agreed to remove their forces before the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, which is expected around April 10. However, even if armed factions become less visible on the streets, any substantive withdrawal is seen as unlikely without broader agreements on Libya's long-term political future. Long convoys of military vehicles with mounted heavy weapons frequently patrol key streets in central Tripoli, setting checkpoints at traffic intersections and sometimes triggering gunfights with rival forces.

Source: Libya Today February 22, 2024 16:59 UTC