Two armed groups from northwest Libya reach a temporary ceasefire

MADRID, 18 Dic. (EUROPA PRESS) -

Armed groups from the Libyan towns of Sabrata and Zaouiya, which have been at odds for weeks in the oil-rich northwest of the country, have reached a ceasefire after violent skirmishes that left at least two dead last Friday.

The mayor of Sabrata, Mohamed al Hasluk, has explained that the notables of both towns have promised to avoid such acts of violence in the future, according to statements collected by the portal 'The Libya Observer'.

According to local sources, the clashes on Friday began when Zaouiya militias staged a raid to arrest a senior official of Sabrata's armed groups, identified as Ahmed Danbashi.

Although the clashes did not fully break out, some families ended up leaving the area for safety, according to the Libyan portal, with the help of the Red Crescent.

The activity of the numerous militias that operate in Libya -- and particularly in the northwest, where many oil fields are found -- has multiplied since March.

That month, the country unofficially entered a state of administrative double-headedness again with the declaration of Fazi Bashaga as "prime minister" by the country's eastern Parliament, against his great rival, the head of the Tripoli-based unity government. , Abdul Hamid Dbeibé, whom he considers a delegitimized leader.

Libya's transitional government was mandated to lead the country to elections last December, but they never took place due to divisions over the rules and the presence of controversial candidates, culminating in the controversial appointment of Bashaga.