Sabha Ceasefire Statement

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Country/entity: Libya
Region: Middle East and North Africa
Agreement name: Sabha Ceasefire Statement
Date: 5 Jul 2018
Agreement status: Unilateral document
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: The Tebu Tribal Council to Coordinate and End the Sabha Crisis
Third parties: -
Description: Part of a choreography of statements between the Supreme Council of Fezzan and the Tebu Council. The first call was on 07/04/2018 and responded to two days later. This statement renews the April ceasefire.

Agreement document: LY_180705_Sabha Ceasefire Statement (continues ceasefire by council from April)_EN.pdf (opens in new tab) | Download PDF
Agreement document (original language): LY_180705_Sabha Ceasefire Statement (continues ceasefire by council from April)_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 signing party, the Tebu Tribal Council, was formally established to "coordinate and end the Sabha crisis". Moreover, the agreement is embedded in a culture of signing (and supporting) agreements to end the crisis in Sabha (calls for a ceasefire were made in April 2018).
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 affirms the will of the parties to adhere to a previous ceasefire in order to allow Libyans to participate in the Libyan National Dialogue organised by HD (Geneva) under auspices of UNSMIL. The agreement finishes with the phrasing: "May Allah Preserve Libya".
Name of Locale: Sabha
Nature of Locale: City
GPS Lat/Long (DD): 27.039951, 14.426180
Participant type: Domestic religious organisation/leader or other elder
Mediator, facilitator or similar: No mention of mediator or similar

Local issues

Ritual/prayer and process (including use of scripture): Page 1, In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Page 1, May Allah Preserve Libya
Grievance List: [Summary] Adherence to ceasefire except in case of self-defence
Cattle rustling/banditry: No specific mention.
Social cover: No specific mention.

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Statement

The Tebu Tribal Council to Coordinate and End the Sabha Crisis announces that it will continue to adhere to the ceasefire, except in cases of self-defense to allow the residents of the city of Sabha to effectively participate in the Libyan National Forum and create a suitable environment for them to express their opinions on the issues that are being addressed at this Forum out of our belief that dialogue is the only way for the crisis in Libya to end.

May Allah Preserve Libya

Tebu Tribal Council

Coordination Committee to End the Crisis

[Signed] and [Stamped]

Issued in Sabha

on 5/7/2018