Libya’s rival sides sign initial deal on mercenaries pullout
Al Jazeera
Issue of mercenaries, foreign fighters has long been an obstacle ahead of Libya’s landmark general elections.
Libya’s rival sides have reached an initial agreement on the withdrawal of foreign fighters and mercenaries from the North African nation in a move seen as a key step towards unifying the warring sides in the violence-racked country.
The United Nations mission mediating between the rivals said a 10-member joint military commission, with five representatives from each side, (JMC 5+5,) inked a “gradual and balanced” withdrawal deal at the end of three-day, UN-facilitated talks in Geneva on Friday.
It added that the plan, coupled with an implementation mechanism, would be “the cornerstone for the gradual, balanced, and sequenced process of withdrawal” of the mercenaries and foreign forces.