CAIRO, January 14. /TASS/. Commander of the Libyan National Army (LNA) Khalifa Haftar will not sign a ceasefire deal with the forces of the Government of National Accord (GNA) led by Fayez Al-Sarraj, until all his notes and amendments are included in the draft, says Al Arabiya citing anonymous LNA sources.
According to the report, Haftar has already returned to Benghazi after leaving Moscow without signing the deal with the GNA. The LNA’s sources told Al Arabiya that Haftar and his aides will once again "comprehensively study the terms of agreement for existing gaps," before making a final decision.
"Haftar will not sign the document unless amendments are made and a clause on disarming, disbanding and liquidating the militias is added, because [Haftar] does not recognize them and sees no stability in Libya until the militias are eliminated," they said.
Besides, Haftar reportedly rejected any Turkish interference, mediation or participation in the monitoring of the ceasefire in Libya, pointing out that the draft document "ignored a number of the LNA’s demands". Haftar was also frustrated that the document did not state that Turkish forces must be withdrawn from Libya, and that a deal between the GNA and Ankara must be annulled. The latter deal was signed in late November and includes military cooperation. Haftar also demanded that the GNA must not sign any agreements without consulting the LNA, the sources said.
On January 12, a ceasefire brokered by Russia and Turkey came into effect. The next day, delegates from the opposing sides came to Moscow for negotiations, which resulted in the GNA signing the ceasefire deal. Haftar took time out allegedly to study the agreement, but later, according to Arabic media reports, departed from the Russian capital. In the early hours of January 14, armed clashes resumed in Tripoli’s south, followed by an LNA statement saying it is "ready and determined" to achieve victory.
On Tuesday, Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed to TASS that the LNA commander left without signing the deal, adding that Moscow would continue working with both sides of the Libyan conflict.