The United Nations' mission in Libya says rival armed groups in Tripoli have reached a ceasefire agreement to end heavy fighting that has rocked the capital for more than a week.

The announcement on Tuesday came after Libyan authorities said that the death toll from the violence had risen to at least 61. Scores of people were also wounded.

 

 "Under the auspices of [UN envoy Ghassan Salame], a ceasefire agreement was reached and signed today to end all hostilities, protect civilians, safeguard public and private property and reopen Mitiga airport in Tripoli," the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) mission said.

Fierce battles broke out in Tripoli's southern districts on August 27 after the Seventh Brigade, an armed group based in Tarhouna, 65km southeast of the capital, launched a surprise offensive against rival militias.

A UN-backed truce was reached the next day but clashes resumed shortly after, forcing authorities to close Tripoli's only functioning airport.

The violence prompted the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) in Tripoli to declare a state of emergency on Sunday.

Earlier on Tuesday, Al Jazeera's Mahmoud Abdelwahed reported from Tripoli that the situation remained tense, with sporadic fighting and indiscriminate rocket fire hitting residential areas.

On Monday, the social media website Facebook was blocked in Tripoli and the surrounding cities.

Libyan utility LPTIC, which owns the two state-run telecoms firms, said in a statement that a lack of security had led to outages. Maintenance engineers were unable to reach some stations which had stopped working due to a lack of power.

It did not comment on Facebook's blocking.

Access to the web is controlled by state firms and monitored by security bodies which are effectively controlled by armed groups working with the weak GNA.

Independent national media based inside Libya scarcely exists as journalists often face threats from armed groups or officials unhappy with critical coverage

Libya slid into chaos after the 2011 uprising that overthrew and ruler Muammar Gaddafi and led to his death.

The country is governed by rival authorities in Tripoli and the country's east, both of which are backed by an array of militias.</s>TRIPOLI (Reuters) - A ceasefire has been signed between armed factions fighting over the Libyan capital, the United Nations said on Tuesday, after more than a week of violence inside Tripoli.

Dozens of people have been killed in fighting engulfing Tripoli as rival armed groups vie for power and money in the chaos persisting in the oil producer since the toppling of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

“A ceasefire agreement was reached + signed today to end all hostilities, protect civilians, safeguard public and private property,” the U.N. mission in Libya (UNSMIL) said in a statement.

Tripoli’s only functioning airport, Matiga, would also be reopened after being closed since Friday, the United Nations said, without giving any details beyond the text of the agreement.

Commanders of some factions could be seen on pictures published by UNSMIL, while others seemed to have been absent.

It was not clear how the ceasefire would be implemented as militias have ignored previous calls to lay down arms by the U.N.-backed government which is largely powerless.

One armed faction, the 7th brigade from Tarhouna town south of the capital, which had attacked Tripoli with other factions, accepted the ceasefire, spokesman Saad al-Hammali said,

Last week, local officials brokered a ceasefire that did not hold.

There is no police or army or functioning state to enforce peace in a country ruled by armed groups who defy authority and form flexible alliances.

Tripoli is formally controlled by the internationally recognized Government of National Accord, but armed groups working with it act with autonomy. Eastern Libya is controlled by a rival administration.

“Today does not aim to fix all the Libyan capital’s security problems; it seeks to agree on a broader framework on the way to start addressing the issues,” UNSMIL quoted U.N. Special Envoy Ghassan Salame as saying.

The fighting had started because armed groups outside Tripoli had opposed a cartel of four “super militias” controlling access to state funds and foreign currency at huge discount from the central bank.

In a sign of the chaos, hundreds African migrants escaped from a detention center caught in the middle of a shootout, an aid official said.

A video posted on social media purported to show hundreds of Africans, some carrying plastic bags, walking in a long line away from the detention center.

As many as 1,900 migrants had been in the detention center but some were brought by authorities to another facility, a U.N. official said.

Some ended up on a farm. “Five people got shot (there), one got shot when we came here,” said Omar Abdullah, a migrant from Eritrea. “We didn’t have a shower for three, four days.”

Libya is a major departure point for migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea to Europe, mainly from other parts of Africa.

Most migrants had been jailed after the Libyan coastguard intercepted their makeshift boats bound for Italy.

Some 400 prisoners also escaped on Sunday from a jail in southern Tripoli.

More than 1,800 families have been displaced from their homes since the start of the fighting, a report by the Tripoli-based ministry for displaced people said.</s>Hundreds of African migrants escaped from a detention centre in Tripoli on Tuesday as fighting between rival groups raged nearby, an aid official said, though the Libyan government department set up to combat illegal migration denied the report.

TRIPOLI: A ceasefire has been reached between armed factions fighting over the Libyan capital for more than a week, the United Nations said on Tuesday, but it was unclear how it would be implemented.

Dozens of people have been killed in fighting engulfing Tripoli as rival armed groups vie for power and money in the chaos persisting in the oil producer since the toppling of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

"A ceasefire agreement was reached + signed today to end all hostilities, protect civilians, safeguard public and private property," the U.N. mission in Libya (UNSMIL) said on Twitter.

The Tripoli Matiga airport - closed since Friday - would also be reopened under the deal, the United Nations said, showing pictures of the meeting hosted by U.N. Special Envoy Ghassan Salame but giving no immediate details.

It was not clear how the ceasefire would be implemented as militias have ignored previous calls to lay down arms by the U.N.-backed government which is largely powerless.

There is no police or army or functioning state to enforce peace in a country ruled by armed groups who defy authority and form flexible alliances.

"Today does not aim to fix all the Libyan capital's security problems; it seeks to agree on a broader framework on the way to start addressing the issues," UNSMIL quoted Salame as saying.

In a sign of the chaos, hundreds of African migrants escaped from a detention centre in Tripoli as the fighting between rival groups raged nearby, an aid official said.

A video posted on social media on Tuesday purportedly showed hundreds of Africans, some carrying plastic bags, walking in a long line away from the detention centre. It is located on the road to the former Tripoli International Airport, which was destroyed in a battle between rival militias in 2014.

Libya is a major departure point in North Africa for migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea to Europe, mainly from other parts of Africa.

The aid official, who works for an international organisation, said as many as 1,800 migrants might have escaped the facility on Tuesday. It was unclear where they had gone.

If confirmed, this would mean that almost a quarter of Libya's jailed migrants, mostly Africans, are on the run. Most had been jailed after the Libyan coastguard intercepted their makeshift boats bound for Italy.

Tripoli is formally controlled by the internationally recognised Government of National Accord, but armed groups working with it act with autonomy. Eastern Libya is controlled by a rival administration.

Last Thursday U.N. agencies and authorities relocated hundreds of migrants from government-run detention centres in southern Tripoli to safer locations.

In a further sign of chaos, some 400 prisoners also escaped on Sunday from a jail in southern Tripoli, forcing open the doors as the guards retreated.

More than 1,800 families have been displaced from their homes since the start of the fighting, a report by the Tripoli-based ministry for displaced people said.</s>TRIPOLI (Reuters) - A ceasefire has been signed between armed factions fighting over the Libyan capital, the United Nations said on Tuesday, after more than a week of violence inside Tripoli.

Dozens of people have been killed in fighting engulfing Tripoli as rival armed groups vie for power and money in the chaos persisting in the oil producer since the toppling of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

“A ceasefire agreement was reached + signed today to end all hostilities, protect civilians, safeguard public and private property,” the U.N. mission in Libya (UNSMIL) said in a statement.

Tripoli’s only functioning airport, Matiga, would also be reopened after being closed since Friday, the United Nations said, without giving any details beyond the text of the agreement.

Commanders of some factions could be seen on pictures published by UNSMIL, while others seemed to have been absent.

It was not clear how the ceasefire would be implemented as militias have ignored previous calls to lay down arms by the U.N.-backed government which is largely powerless.

One armed faction, the 7th brigade from Tarhouna town south of the capital, which had attacked Tripoli with other factions, accepted the ceasefire, spokesman Saad al-Hammali said,

Last week, local officials brokered a ceasefire that did not hold.

There is no police or army or functioning state to enforce peace in a country ruled by armed groups who defy authority and form flexible alliances.

Tripoli is formally controlled by the internationally recognized Government of National Accord, but armed groups working with it act with autonomy. Eastern Libya is controlled by a rival administration.

“Today does not aim to fix all the Libyan capital’s security problems; it seeks to agree on a broader framework on the way to start addressing the issues,” UNSMIL quoted U.N. Special Envoy Ghassan Salame as saying.

The fighting had started because armed groups outside Tripoli had opposed a cartel of four “super militias” controlling access to state funds and foreign currency at huge discount from the central bank.

In a sign of the chaos, hundreds African migrants escaped from a detention center caught in the middle of a shootout, an aid official said.

A video posted on social media purported to show hundreds of Africans, some carrying plastic bags, walking in a long line away from the detention center.

As many as 1,900 migrants had been in the detention center but some were brought by authorities to another facility, a U.N. official said.

Some ended up on a farm. “Five people got shot (there), one got shot when we came here,” said Omar Abdullah, a migrant from Eritrea. “We didn’t have a shower for three, four days.”

Libya is a major departure point for migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea to Europe, mainly from other parts of Africa.

Most migrants had been jailed after the Libyan coastguard intercepted their makeshift boats bound for Italy.

Some 400 prisoners also escaped on Sunday from a jail in southern Tripoli.

More than 1,800 families have been displaced from their homes since the start of the fighting, a report by the Tripoli-based ministry for displaced people said.</s>TRIPOLI (Reuters) - A ceasefire has been reached between armed factions fighting over the Libyan capital for more than a week, the United Nations said on Tuesday, but it was unclear how it would be implemented.

Dozens of people have been killed in fighting engulfing Tripoli as rival armed groups vie for power and money in the chaos persisting in the oil producer since the toppling of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

“A ceasefire agreement was reached + signed today to end all hostilities, protect civilians, safeguard public and private property,” the U.N. mission in Libya (UNSMIL) said on Twitter.

The Tripoli Matiga airport - closed since Friday - would also be reopened under the deal, the United Nations said, showing pictures of the meeting hosted by U.N. Special Envoy Ghassan Salame but giving no immediate details.

It was not clear how the ceasefire would be implemented as militias have ignored previous calls to lay down arms by the U.N.-backed government which is largely powerless.

There is no police or army or functioning state to enforce peace in a country ruled by armed groups who defy authority and form flexible alliances.

“Today does not aim to fix all the Libyan capital’s security problems; it seeks to agree on a broader framework on the way to start addressing the issues,” UNSMIL quoted Salame as saying.

In a sign of the chaos, hundreds of African migrants escaped from a detention center in Tripoli as the fighting between rival groups raged nearby, an aid official said.

A video posted on social media on Tuesday purportedly showed hundreds of Africans, some carrying plastic bags, walking in a long line away from the detention center. It is located on the road to the former Tripoli International Airport, which was destroyed in a battle between rival militias in 2014.

Libya is a major departure point in North Africa for migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea to Europe, mainly from other parts of Africa.

The aid official, who works for an international organization, said as many as 1,800 migrants might have escaped the facility on Tuesday. It was unclear where they had gone.

If confirmed, this would mean that almost a quarter of Libya’s jailed migrants, mostly Africans, are on the run. Most had been jailed after the Libyan coastguard intercepted their makeshift boats bound for Italy.

Tripoli is formally controlled by the internationally recognized Government of National Accord, but armed groups working with it act with autonomy. Eastern Libya is controlled by a rival administration.

Last Thursday U.N. agencies and authorities relocated hundreds of migrants from government-run detention centers in southern Tripoli to safer locations.

In a further sign of chaos, some 400 prisoners also escaped on Sunday from a jail in southern Tripoli, forcing open the doors as the guards retreated.

More than 1,800 families have been displaced from their homes since the start of the fighting, a report by the Tripoli-based ministry for displaced people said.</s>TRIPOLI (Reuters) - A ceasefire has been signed between armed factions fighting over the Libyan capital, the United Nations said on Tuesday, after more than a week of violence inside Tripoli.

Dozens of people have been killed in fighting engulfing Tripoli as rival armed groups vie for power and money in the chaos persisting in the oil producer since the toppling of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

“A ceasefire agreement was reached + signed today to end all hostilities, protect civilians, safeguard public and private property,” the U.N. mission in Libya (UNSMIL) said in a statement.

Tripoli’s only functioning airport, Matiga, would also be reopened after being closed since Friday, the United Nations said, without giving any details beyond the text of the agreement.

Commanders of some factions could be seen on pictures published by UNSMIL, while others seemed to have been absent.

It was not clear how the ceasefire would be implemented as militias have ignored previous calls to lay down arms by the U.N.-backed government which is largely powerless.

One armed faction, the 7th brigade from Tarhouna town south of the capital, which had attacked Tripoli with other factions, accepted the ceasefire, spokesman Saad al-Hammali said,

Last week, local officials brokered a ceasefire that did not hold.

There is no police or army or functioning state to enforce peace in a country ruled by armed groups who defy authority and form flexible alliances.

Tripoli is formally controlled by the internationally recognised Government of National Accord, but armed groups working with it act with autonomy. Eastern Libya is controlled by a rival administration.

“Today does not aim to fix all the Libyan capital’s security problems; it seeks to agree on a broader framework on the way to start addressing the issues,” UNSMIL quoted U.N. Special Envoy Ghassan Salame as saying.

The fighting had started because armed groups outside Tripoli had opposed a cartel of four “super militias” controlling access to state funds and foreign currency at huge discount from the central bank.

In a sign of the chaos, hundreds African migrants escaped from a detention centre caught in the middle of a shootout, an aid official said.

A video posted on social media purported to show hundreds of Africans, some carrying plastic bags, walking in a long line away from the detention centre.

As many as 1,900 migrants had been in the detention centre but some were brought by authorities to another facility, a U.N. official said.

Some ended up on a farm. “Five people got shot (there), one got shot when we came here,” said Omar Abdullah, a migrant from Eritrea. “We didn’t have a shower for three, four days.”

Libya is a major departure point for migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea to Europe, mainly from other parts of Africa.

Most migrants had been jailed after the Libyan coastguard intercepted their makeshift boats bound for Italy.

Some 400 prisoners also escaped on Sunday from a jail in southern Tripoli.

More than 1,800 families have been displaced from their homes since the start of the fighting, a report by the Tripoli-based ministry for displaced people said.</s>TRIPOLI (Reuters) - A ceasefire has been signed between armed factions fighting over the Libyan capital, the United Nations said on Tuesday, after more than a week of violence inside Tripoli.

Dozens of people have been killed in fighting engulfing Tripoli as rival armed groups vie for power and money in the chaos persisting in the oil producer since the toppling of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

"A ceasefire agreement was reached + signed today to end all hostilities, protect civilians, safeguard public and private property," the U.N. mission in Libya (UNSMIL) said in a statement.

Tripoli's only functioning airport, Matiga, would also be reopened after being closed since Friday, the United Nations said, without giving any details beyond the text of the agreement.

Commanders of some factions could be seen on pictures published by UNSMIL, while others seemed to have been absent.

It was not clear how the ceasefire would be implemented as militias have ignored previous calls to lay down arms by the U.N.-backed government which is largely powerless.

One armed faction, the 7th brigade from Tarhouna town south of the capital, which had attacked Tripoli with other factions, accepted the ceasefire, spokesman Saad al-Hammali said,

Last week, local officials brokered a ceasefire that did not hold.

There is no police or army or functioning state to enforce peace in a country ruled by armed groups who defy authority and form flexible alliances.

Tripoli is formally controlled by the internationally recognised Government of National Accord, but armed groups working with it act with autonomy. Eastern Libya is controlled by a rival administration.

"Today does not aim to fix all the Libyan capital's security problems; it seeks to agree on a broader framework on the way to start addressing the issues," UNSMIL quoted U.N. Special Envoy Ghassan Salame as saying.

The fighting had started because armed groups outside Tripoli had opposed a cartel of four "super militias" controlling access to state funds and foreign currency at huge discount from the central bank.

In a sign of the chaos, hundreds African migrants escaped from a detention centre caught in the middle of a shootout, an aid official said.

A video posted on social media purported to show hundreds of Africans, some carrying plastic bags, walking in a long line away from the detention centre.

As many as 1,900 migrants had been in the detention centre but some were brought by authorities to another facility, a U.N. official said.

Some ended up on a farm. "Five people got shot (there), one got shot when we came here," said Omar Abdullah, a migrant from Eritrea. "We didn't have a shower for three, four days."

Libya is a major departure point for migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea to Europe, mainly from other parts of Africa.

Most migrants had been jailed after the Libyan coastguard intercepted their makeshift boats bound for Italy.

Some 400 prisoners also escaped on Sunday from a jail in southern Tripoli.

More than 1,800 families have been displaced from their homes since the start of the fighting, a report by the Tripoli-based ministry for displaced people said.

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.</s>TRIPOLI (Reuters) - A ceasefire has been reached between armed factions fighting over the Libyan capital for more than a week, the United Nations said on Tuesday, but it was unclear how it would be implemented.

Dozens of people have been killed in fighting engulfing Tripoli as rival armed groups vie for power and money in the chaos persisting in the oil producer since the toppling of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

“A ceasefire agreement was reached + signed today to end all hostilities, protect civilians, safeguard public and private property,” the U.N. mission in Libya (UNSMIL) said on Twitter.

The Tripoli Matiga airport - closed since Friday - would also be reopened under the deal, the United Nations said, showing pictures of the meeting hosted by U.N. Special Envoy Ghassan Salame but giving no immediate details.

It was not clear how the ceasefire would be implemented as militias have ignored previous calls to lay down arms by the U.N.-backed government which is largely powerless.

There is no police or army or functioning state to enforce peace in a country ruled by armed groups who defy authority and form flexible alliances.

“Today does not aim to fix all the Libyan capital’s security problems; it seeks to agree on a broader framework on the way to start addressing the issues,” UNSMIL quoted Salame as saying.

In a sign of the chaos, hundreds of African migrants escaped from a detention center in Tripoli as the fighting between rival groups raged nearby, an aid official said.

A video posted on social media on Tuesday purportedly showed hundreds of Africans, some carrying plastic bags, walking in a long line away from the detention center. It is located on the road to the former Tripoli International Airport, which was destroyed in a battle between rival militias in 2014.

Libya is a major departure point in North Africa for migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea to Europe, mainly from other parts of Africa.

The aid official, who works for an international organization, said as many as 1,800 migrants might have escaped the facility on Tuesday. It was unclear where they had gone.

If confirmed, this would mean that almost a quarter of Libya’s jailed migrants, mostly Africans, are on the run. Most had been jailed after the Libyan coastguard intercepted their makeshift boats bound for Italy.

Tripoli is formally controlled by the internationally recognized Government of National Accord, but armed groups working with it act with autonomy. Eastern Libya is controlled by a rival administration.

Last Thursday U.N. agencies and authorities relocated hundreds of migrants from government-run detention centers in southern Tripoli to safer locations.

In a further sign of chaos, some 400 prisoners also escaped on Sunday from a jail in southern Tripoli, forcing open the doors as the guards retreated.

More than 1,800 families have been displaced from their homes since the start of the fighting, a report by the Tripoli-based ministry for displaced people said.</s>TRIPOLI (Reuters) - A ceasefire has been reached between armed factions fighting over the Libyan capital for more than a week, the United Nations said on Tuesday, but it was unclear how it would be implemented.

Dozens of people have been killed in fighting engulfing Tripoli as rival armed groups vie for power and money in the chaos persisting in the oil producer since the toppling of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

“A ceasefire agreement was reached + signed today to end all hostilities, protect civilians, safeguard public and private property,” the U.N. mission in Libya (UNSMIL) said on Twitter.

The Tripoli Matiga airport - closed since Friday - would also be reopened under the deal, the United Nations said, showing pictures of the meeting hosted by U.N. Special Envoy Ghassan Salame but giving no immediate details.

It was not clear how the ceasefire would be implemented as militias have ignored previous calls to lay down arms by the U.N.-backed government which is largely powerless.

There is no police or army or functioning state to enforce peace in a country ruled by armed groups who defy authority and form flexible alliances.

“Today does not aim to fix all the Libyan capital’s security problems; it seeks to agree on a broader framework on the way to start addressing the issues,” UNSMIL quoted Salame as saying.

In a sign of the chaos, hundreds of African migrants escaped from a detention centre in Tripoli as the fighting between rival groups raged nearby, an aid official said.

A video posted on social media on Tuesday purportedly showed hundreds of Africans, some carrying plastic bags, walking in a long line away from the detention centre. It is located on the road to the former Tripoli International Airport, which was destroyed in a battle between rival militias in 2014.

Libya is a major departure point in North Africa for migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea to Europe, mainly from other parts of Africa.

The aid official, who works for an international organisation, said as many as 1,800 migrants might have escaped the facility on Tuesday. It was unclear where they had gone.

If confirmed, this would mean that almost a quarter of Libya’s jailed migrants, mostly Africans, are on the run. Most had been jailed after the Libyan coastguard intercepted their makeshift boats bound for Italy.

Tripoli is formally controlled by the internationally recognised Government of National Accord, but armed groups working with it act with autonomy. Eastern Libya is controlled by a rival administration.

Last Thursday U.N. agencies and authorities relocated hundreds of migrants from government-run detention centres in southern Tripoli to safer locations.

In a further sign of chaos, some 400 prisoners also escaped on Sunday from a jail in southern Tripoli, forcing open the doors as the guards retreated.

More than 1,800 families have been displaced from their homes since the start of the fighting, a report by the Tripoli-based ministry for displaced people said.</s>Fighting in and around the Libyan capital has displaced thousands of people, the government said Tuesday as the UN prepared to host talks seeking to halt the violence.

Clashes since August 27 between rival militias in and around Tripoli have killed at least 50 people and wounded 138 others, most of them civilians, the health ministry said in an updated toll.

The fighting has raged mostly in the southern suburbs of the capital, forcing 1,825 families to flee to nearby towns or seek shelter in other districts of Tripoli, the ministry for displaced people's affairs said.

But many more remain trapped inside their homes and some are refusing to leave, fearing their property could be looted, the ministry said.

These families have an urgent need for food and water, the ministry said, adding that rescuers who have tried to assist them have come under attack from unidentified assailants who also stole ambulances.

It came as the United Nations mission in Libya invited "all concerned parties" to attend talks later in the day aimed at seeking an end to the violence, a UNSMIL spokeswoman said.

Sausan Ghosheh said the talks would be closed to the press and declined to say who was invited or where the meeting would take place.

The UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) on Sunday declared a state of emergency in the capital and its surroundings.

The Libyan capital has been at the centre of a battle for influence between armed groups since dictator Moamer Kadhafi was driven from power and killed.

The latest fighting pits Tripoli militias loyal to the GNA against armed groups from the town of Tarhuna, southeast of the capital, and the western city of Misrata.

The GNA, which has been unable to form a functioning army or regular security forces, has been forced to rely in such militias to keep Tripoli safe.

Militias formed the backbone of the 2011 uprising that toppled Kadhafi.

Since then rival administrations, including one based in the remote east, and the militias have competed for authority and oil wealth in the North African country.
The United Nations reports that a ceasefire has been agreed upon by non-governmental militias fighting in Tripoli.