By Saber Ayyub.
Tripoli, 20 January 2016:
This evening some refugees from Kikla have been returning to their homes in the Jebel Nafusa . . .[restrict]town after a deal between the town’s elders and Zintan which seized the town in October 2014 after bitter fighting.
The bloody battle was between those in the town who backed Libya Dawn and Zintani militiamen acting on behalf of the government in Beida. At least 4,000 people fled as a result of the fighting.
Under the deal signed yesterday evening, Zintani forces will withdraw from the town which will now be occupied by neutral forces from Zawiya and Motrad. Both sides also agreed to exchange prisoners and avoid any actions that might lead to further conflict.
“ We have been in talks for over four months to sign this agreement which included forming a neutral armed force to fight those who might attempt to obstruct it,” the head of Supreme Council of Zintani Elders Shaaban Amiani told 218 TV. He added that from now on any infringement of the peace will be held against the individual involved and will not be extended into a wider confrontation. [/restrict]