UN hails prisoner swap between Libyan gov't, Haftar

TRIPOLI, Libya

The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) on Saturday hailed the success of implementing a prisoner exchange between the Libyan government and eastern warlord Khalifa Haftar.

"UNSMIL welcomes the remarkable success registered…by the exchange of prisoners from both sides under the supervision of the Joint Military Commission (5+5),” the mission said on Twitter.

On Friday, a prisoner exchange of 48 prisoners was implemented between the Libyan government and the Haftar militia in Ash Shurayf area, 417 km to the south from the capital Tripoli.

UNSMIL also praised efforts of the tribal sheikhs and elders which contributed to achieving the swap.

A Libyan security officer said 33 prisoners from Haftar’s militia were released in exchange for 15 soldiers from the Libyan army, under the supervision of the (5+5) Libyan Joint Military Commission.

On Oct. 23, the UN announced a permanent cease-fire agreement between Libya's warring rivals during its facilitated 5+5 Libyan Joint Military Commission talks in Geneva.

Libya has been torn by civil war since the ouster of late ruler Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

Based in the capital Tripoli and currently led by Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj, the Government of National Accord was founded in 2015 under a UN-led agreement. But efforts for a long-term political settlement have failed due to a military offensive by militias loyal to Haftar.

Al-Sarraj's government has been battling Haftar's militias since April 2019 in a conflict that has claimed thousands of lives.

*Ahmed Asmar contributed to this report from Ankara