Libya’s UN-recognised government in Tripoli has reached a preliminary accord with the powerful Radaa Force after months of tense standoffs. The agreement, facilitated by Turkey, aims to end sporadic violence that has shaken the capital and unsettled fragile national stability.
Ziyad Deghem, adviser to the Presidential Council, confirmed the breakthrough but said details will be revealed publicly at a later stage. Neither the government nor the Radaa Force has issued formal statements, though Libyan broadcaster Al-Ahrar released footage suggesting changes on the ground.
The video appeared to show defence ministry forces entering Mitiga Airport, a site long under the control of the armed group. Libya remains fractured since the NATO-backed uprising toppled Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, with rival governments entrenched in east and west.
Clashes in May underscored ongoing volatility, as Tripoli forces confronted militias resisting disbandment, including the Radaa Force entrenched in eastern districts. The armed group controls Mitiga, prisons, and detention centres, exerting immense power over security and civilian life in the capital.
According to sources cited by Al-Ahrar, the accord envisions a neutral, unified force managing four airports in western Libya. Mitiga Airport, vital for international and domestic travel, has been under Radaa’s authority since 2011, serving as Tripoli’s lifeline to the skies.
The deal also places Radaa-run prisons and detention centres under the Attorney General’s oversight, signalling attempts to curb militia dominance. Deghem credited Turkey’s “exceptional efforts” and praised the UN mission in Libya for its “essential and decisive” role in negotiations. The accord, still fragile, offers a faint hope that Libya’s fractured institutions might find common ground after years of bitter conflict.
