A recent bout of heavy fighting in the capital Tripoli has come to a halt after warring militias signed a new cease-fire agreement, Libyan authorities said Wednesday.

The U.N.-backed government said in a statement it welcomed the cease-fire agreement, which was brokered by local representatives and tribal leaders.

Fighting in Tripoli first erupted on Aug. 26 when the 7th Brigade comprised of militias hailing from Tarhouna, a town about 40 miles (60 kilometers) south of Tripoli, attacked southern neighborhoods of the capital.

The Tripoli Revolutionaries' Brigades and the Nawasi Brigade, militias which support the U.N.-backed government, came to the city's defense. Clashes flared up again last week, breaking a previous, U.N.-brokered cease-fire that began earlier this month.

At least 117 people, including civilians, have been killed in the fighting and another 404 wounded. Twenty people remain missing since fighting first began there, the Health Ministry said.

In the past two days, 1,700 families have been displaced due to renewed fighting, the U.N. aid agency said Tuesday. A total of 5,000 families have sought refuge with relatives in safer parts of Tripoli and its outskirts since Aug. 26, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said.

"The clashes have led to a breakdown in basic services such as electricity and water," U.N. Humanitarian Coordinator Maria Ribeiro said.

Also on Wednesday, the U.N. envoy for Libya, Ghassan Salame, told the U.N. Human Rights Council that armed groups loyal to both the self-styled Libyan National Army, led by Field Marshal Kahlifa Hifter in the east, and the U.N.-backed-government in Tripoli continue to violate international law and human rights and use foreign mercenaries, especially in southern Libya.

"Impunity of armed groups must be challenged and all grave violations punished, sanctions imposed and perpetrators brought to national courts or the International Criminal Court," Salame tweeted.

He warned of "terror attacks on the rise, ISIS resurgent, with 57 dead in 14 attacks since year's start, including latest on the National Oil Cooperation headquarters in Tripoli."

Two people were killed and 10 others wounded earlier this month when suspected militants invaded the headquarters of Libya's national oil company, shooting randomly, setting off explosions and taking hostages, officials said.

The fighting in Tripoli underscored the country's lingering lawlessness more than seven years after the uprising that toppled and later killed longtime ruler Moammar Gadhafi. Libya is currently ruled by rival authorities in Tripoli and the east, each backed by an array of militias.</s>Libya’s internationally recognized government on Wednesday announced a new ceasefire deal. It could end a month of fighting between rival militias south of Tripoli that has left more than 100 dead, AFP reports. The deal was signed by representatives of the capital and the town of Tarhuna, southeast of Tripoli, the Interior Ministry said. The agreement ratified by Interior Minister Abdessalem Ashour calls for the rivals to implement a UN-brokered accord, signed on September 4. It envisages the formation of a joint security force of police from Tripoli and Tarhuna to patrol the capital’s southern suburbs.</s>BENGHAZI, LIBYA—A recent bout of heavy fighting in the capital Tripoli has come to a halt after warring militias signed a new ceasefire agreement, Libyan authorities said Wednesday. The UN-backed government said in a statement it welcomed the ceasefire agreement, which was brokered by local representatives and tribal leaders.

Fighting in Tripoli first erupted on Aug. 26 when the 7th Brigade comprised of militias hailing from Tarhouna, a town about 40 miles (60 kilometres) south of Tripoli, attacked southern neighbourhoods of the capital. The Tripoli Revolutionaries’ Brigades and the Nawasi Brigade, militias which support the UN-backed government, came to the city’s defence. Clashes flared up again last week, breaking a previous, U.N.-brokered ceasefire that began earlier this month. At least 117 people, including civilians, have been killed in the fighting and another 404 wounded. Twenty people remain missing since fighting first began there, the Health Ministry said.

In the past two days, 1,700 families have been displaced due to renewed fighting, the U.N. aid agency said Tuesday. A total of 5,000 families have sought refuge with relatives in safer parts of Tripoli and its outskirts since Aug. 26, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said. “The clashes have led to a breakdown in basic services such as electricity and water,” U.N. Humanitarian Coordinator Maria Ribeiro said. The fighting underscored the country’s lingering lawlessness more than seven years after the uprising that toppled and later killed longtime ruler Moammar Gadhafi. Libya is currently ruled by rival authorities in Tripoli and the east, each backed by an array of militias.</s>Libya's internationally recognised government Wednesday announced a ceasefire deal between rival militias after a month of clashes that have left more than 100 dead south of Tripoli, the focus of armed groups vying for power since the 2011 fall of Moamer Kadhafi.

The Government of National Accord (GNA) welcomed "the return of calm" after the battle which left at least 117 dead and more than 400 injured since it broke out in the capital's southern suburbs on August 27, according to official figures, and displaced over 25,000 people.

The ceasefire, which already came into effect on Tuesday, allowed the reopening of the capital's only working airport, at a former military base in Mitiga on the capital's eastern outskirts, that had closed several times because of the clashes.

It also allowed many families to return to their homes, although others were delayed by heavy rains on Wednesday that closed off several roads.

The agreement was signed by representatives of the capital and the town of Tarhuna, southeast of Tripoli, the interior ministry said.

The deal ratified by interior minister Abdessalem Ashour calls for the rivals to implement a UN-brokered accord, signed on September 4, to form a joint security force of police from Tripoli and Tarhuna to patrol the capital's southern suburbs.

That accord held for only a few days and political analysts said the new deal could suffer the same fate.

"The problem with the notion of a ceasefire is that, in and of itself, it implies it's only a temporary solution," said Libyan researcher Emadi Badi.

He said the GNA had no real authority over armed groups.

"A successful negotiation would involve terms viewed as win-win where some parties compromise. It does not appear to be the case this time," said Badi.

The capital has been at the centre of a battle for influence between armed groups ever since dictator Kadhafi was ousted and killed in a NATO-backed uprising seven years ago.

The latest feud pitted armed groups from Tarhuna and Libya's third city Misrata against militia forces from Tripoli under the nominal control of the GNA. Forces from Misrata were driven out of the city on Monday night.

Dozens of militiamen were posted at crossroads in the southern suburbs on Wednesday, manning pickup trucks loaded with anti-aircraft guns.

Under the ceasefire deal, militias and their heavy weapons are to be withdrawn from the capital.

The unity government has struggled to exert its control in the face of a multitude of militias and a rival administration based in eastern Libya.

At the United Nations on Monday, France called for stronger UN sanctions on Libyans who stand in the way of a political solution in the conflict-ridden country.

The current situation "forces us to show greater firmness toward those who want to insist on the status quo for their sole benefit," French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told reporters in New York.

Sanctions should target "militia members who threaten Tripoli", he said.

Le Drian, whose government has been pushing a peace plan that includes elections by the end of the year, also called for stricter control of the cash flow from sales of Libyan oil to prevent funding of hostile groups.</s>Libya's internationally recognised government Wednesday announced a new ceasefire deal to end a month of fighting between rival militias south of Tripoli that has left more than 100 dead.

The agreement was signed by representatives of the capital and the town of Tarhuna, southeast of Tripoli, the interior ministry said in a statement.

The deal ratified by interior minister Abdessalem Ashour calls for the rivals to implement a UN-brokered accord, signed on September 4, to form a joint security force of police from Tripoli and Tarhuna to patrol the capital's southern suburbs.

The Government of National Accord (GNA), in a statement, welcomed the halt to fighting that already took effect on Tuesday.

The clashes which erupted on the capital's southern outskirts on August 26 have left at least 117 dead and more than 400 injured, according to a fresh casualty toll issued by the GNA.

More than 25,000 people have been displaced by the violence.

The Libyan capital has been at the centre of a battle for influence between armed groups ever since dictator Moamer Kadhafi was ousted and killed in a NATO-backed uprising in 2011.

The latest feud has pitted armed groups from Tarhuna and Libya's third city Misrata against militia forces from Tripoli under the nominal control of the GNA.</s>Libyan militiamen loyal to the Government of National Accord, Libya’s internationally recognised government, celebrate their advances in the field in the south of the Libyan capital Tripoli, on Tuesday (AFP photo)

TRIPOLI — The only functioning airport in the Libyan capital Tripoli will reopen its airspace on Wednesday afternoon after clashes between rival militias forced it to close two weeks ago, the airport administration said.

Mitiga Airport was shut after rockets were fired in its direction. Flights were diverted to Misrata Airport about 190km east of Tripoli.

“The carriers are expected to resume flights by the beginning of next week” the administration said.

The facility, a former US military base, closed twice this month due to indiscriminate shelling but no severe damages were reported.

At least 115 people were killed and more than 380 wounded in the fighting that pitted the Seventh Brigade, or Kaniyat, from Tarhouna, a town 65km southeast of Tripoli, against the Tripoli Revolutionaries’ Brigades and the Nawasi, two of the capital’s largest armed groups.

Tripoli and western Libya are run by a UN-backed government mainly supported by armed groups, while eastern Libya is controlled by a rival administration. The country has been in spiralling into violent chaos since Muammar Qadhafi was toppled in 2011.</s>TRIPOLI (Reuters) - The only functioning airport in the Libyan capital Tripoli will reopen its airspace on Wednesday afternoon after clashes between rival militias forced it to close two weeks ago, the airport administration said.

Mitiga airport was shut after rockets were fired in its direction. Flights were diverted to Misrata airport about 190 km (120 miles) east of Tripoli.

“The carriers are expected to resume flights by the beginning of next week “ the administration said.

The facility, a former U.S military basei, closed twice this month due to indiscriminate shelling but no severe damages were reported.

At least 115 people were killed and more than 380 wounded in the fighting that pitted the Seventh Brigade, or Kaniyat, from Tarhouna, a town 65 km (45 miles) southeast of Tripoli, against the Tripoli Revolutionaries’ Brigades (TRB) and the Nawasi, two of the capital’s largest armed groups.

Tripoli and western Libya are run by a U.N.-backed government mainly supported by armed groups, while eastern Libya is controlled by a rival administration. The country has been riven since Muammar Gaddafi was toppled in 2011.
A ceasefire has ended heavy fighting in Tripoli that has killed over 100 people in a month from different militias.