Points of Initial Agreement (Abu Salim Ceasefire)

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Country/entity: Libya
Region: Middle East and North Africa
Agreement name: Points of Initial Agreement (Abu Salim Ceasefire)
Date: 25 Feb 2017
Agreement status: Multiparty signed/agreed
Interim arrangement: Yes
Agreement/conflict level: Intrastate/local conflict
Libyan Conflicts (1969 - 1994) (2011 - )
Agreements relate to two distinct conflict dyads.
Libya-Chad. Since the 1970s, Libya under Colonel Muammar Gaddafi had a tense relationship with its neighbour Chad, predominantly focused on the resource-rich Aouzou Strip in northern Chad. Libyan claims of the Aouzou Strip were held in an un-ratified treaty between France and Italy in 1935, similarly Chadian claims of the Strip were argued with support of a 1955 treaty between Libya and France. In 1973, Libya effectively annexed the Strip to gain access to natural resources. This spurred cross-border clashes between 1979 until 1987 until escalated to a brief war known as the Toyota War, wherein Chadian government troops succeeded in repelling Libyan forces. A brief and repeatedly violated ceasefire was held from 1987-88, followed by a series of unsuccessful negotiations, until an International Court of Justice ruling in 1994, which granted sovereignty of the Strip to Chad.

Libya post-Gaddafi. Gaddafi’s downfall following the Libyan Civil War in 2011-2012, led to several factions fighting for the country’s leadership. Since 2013, the country effectively split into three entities, with the National Army controlling the east including the city of Benghazi, and the New General National Congress and their militias such as the Golden Dawn controlling the northwest including the capital of Tripoli. Significant portions of the country in the south-west are currently held by Tuareg forces. The civil war and chaos continued into 2014 as the General National Congress refused to disband after the expiry of its mandate, resulting in eruption of mass protests. The UN efforts continue to broker peace between the Libyan Army and the Libya Dawn factions, and a partial ceasefire was declared in January 2015. A new interim-government (Tunisia-based) called ‘Government of National Accord’ is formed with the backing of UN despite the refusal of the other forces to recognise its authority and arrived to Tripoli with the UN in 2016. A state of emergency was declared by the UN backed government amid clashed between rival militia in Tripoli’s southern suburbs. Since April 2019 there has been sustained fighting between the Libyan National Army and the UN-backed government in Tripoli as the Libyan National Army aims to seize Tripoli.
Stage: Ceasefire/related
Conflict nature: Inter-group
Peace process: Libyan local processes
Parties: Council of Chairmen and the Abu Salim Municipal Council
Third parties: In attendance was H.E. the Minister of Defence and H.E. the Minister of Health, the Director of Operations, the Head of the Presidential Guard and his assistants, the Director of Security for Tripoli, Leaders of Tripoli, Tawjura, Ayan Tarhounah, Gharyan, and the High Council for Reconciliation in Greater Tripoli.
Description: Short agreement mediated by local council in collaboration with Central Libyan actors regarding a ceasefire between two competing quasi-state armed groups. Agreement provides for the creation of a line of separation between the groups, managed by a force loyal to the Ministry of Defence (belonging to the Government of National Accord).

Agreement document: LY_170225_Abu Salim_Points_of_Initial_Agreement_EN.pdf (opens in new tab) | Download PDF
Agreement document (original language): LY_170225_Abu Salim_Points_of_Initial_Agreement_AR.pdf (opens in new tab)| Download PDF

Local agreement properties

Process type: Formal structured process
Rationale: -> Link to national level; external support mechanism; culture of signing The agreement between the two warring armed factions was supported by the UN-initiated GNA and is embedded into constant negotiation efforts of the UN and central government to bring an end to the violent confrontations in the capital.
Is there a documented link to a national peace process?: Yes
Link to national process: articulated rationale: The agreement is clearly linked to the national process. It was broken by local councils in collaboration with Libyan central state actors and provides for the implementation of its provision by a military force loyal to the Ministry of Defence (GNA government).
Name of Locale: Abu Salim Military Prison
Nature of Locale: Smaller
GPS Lat/Long (DD): 32.833550, 13.173835
Participant type: Central state actor
Local state actor
Local armed group
Domestic religious organisation/leader or other elder
Mediator, facilitator or similar: Mediator or similar referred to
Mediator (references): The Council of Chairmen and the Abu Salim Municipal Council
Type of mediator/facilitator/similar: Local state actor Domestic religious organisation/leader or other elder

Local issues

Ritual/prayer and process (including use of scripture): No specific mention.
Grievance List: Although the agreement does not refer to specific causes of the conflict, it seems that the confrontation between the Installation Guards and the Central Security Forces in the area of Abu Salim lies at the centre of the dispute.
Cattle rustling/banditry: No specific mention.
Social cover: No specific mention.

Points of Initial Agreement (Abu Salim Ceasefire)

First:

Determine that the specific time for a final ceasefire is at 11.30 pm today.

Second:

The group of Installation Guards (al-Baraki) will withdraw from the former Counter-Terrorism Headquarters to the military police headquarters (formerly Abu Salim Military Prison).

The subject of this headquarters [the military police HQ] will be discussed among the [other] agenda items that will be discussed in the final agreement through the Joint Committee for Dispute Resolution.

The Central Security Forces will withdraw from Abu Salim to their headquarters.

Third:

A force from the Ministries of Defence and Interior will separate the two conflict parties and will station [clusters of] three armed vehicles at several points along the contact line.

These points are as follows:

In front of the former Counter-Terrorism HQ.

In front of the former al-Fatih Souq

In front of the People’s Square

In front of the Military Police Roundabout

In front of the former square of the Abusha’lah Mosque

In front of the Abusha’lah Mosque

Fourth:

Establish a committee to monitor the ceasefire, determining the time and location of ceasefire violations by the conflict parties.

Fifth:

Treat those wounded during the fighting from both sides in clinics and hospitals according to the type of treatment [needed] and taking into account the sanctity of hospitals.

This agreement was made under the auspices of the Council of Chairmen and the Abu Salim Municipal Council.

In attendance was H.E. the Minister of Defence and H.E. the Minister of Health, in the wisdom of reconciliation, and Director of Operations, the Head of the Presidential Guard and his assistants, the Director of Security for Tripoli, Leaders of Tripoli, Tawjura, Ayan Tarhounah, Gharyan, and the High Council for Reconciliation in Greater Tripoli.

Issued in Tripoli, Friday 25 February 2017

Points of Initial Agreement (Abu Salim Ceasefire)

Local agreement properties

Local issues

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