By Saber Ayyub.
Tripoli, 11 May 2015:
Reconciliation talks have been taking place in Sabratha, west of Tripoli, between local leaders and officials . . .[restrict]from Zintan.
In the current conflict west of the capital between Libya Dawn and what are mainly support forces forming part of the Libyan National Army (LNA), Sabratha has been firmly on the Libya Dawn side while the Zintanis have been the backbone of the LNA fighters in the area.
The talks, on Saturday, were organised by elders from both communities.
The Zintanis brought with them and handed over a number of captured prisoners as, it is said, a confidence-building “gift” to Sabratha. All were from the historic town apart from one from Sorman.
No Zintani prisoners were reported handed over by the Sabrathans.
The talks are seen as part a growing rapprochement between Sabratha and Zintan.
Sabratha is reportedly looking to copy Misrata’s lead in repositioning itself following the latter’s decision to withdraw its forces from the fighting west of Tripoli between the Zintanis and Warshefana on one side and Libya Dawn on the other.
A top Sabratha official, who asked not to be named, told the Libya Herald last week that his town wanted to reach out to the other side in the current divide. However, the one red line that could not be crossed, he said, was Khalifa Hafter. There could be no accommodation with him. [/restrict]
