Rival tribes in Libya reach UN-sponsored peace agreement

TRIPOLI, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) on Friday said Libya's southern rival tribes Tebu and Zway have reached a UN-sponsored reconciliation agreement.

"Representatives from the Tebu and Zway tribes of Kufra District signed a Reconciliation Agreement after a two-day meeting in Tunis, organized by UNSMIL with the support of UNDP (United Nations Development Program)," the Mission said in a statement.

"The agreement sets out key principles for reconciliation that include freedom of movement, individual accountability for crimes, and equal access to services without discrimination," the Mission said, adding that the two tribes have agreed to form a high commission for peace and reconciliation in Kufra within a month.

"Moreover, the participants called for the establishment of a neutral security force in Kufra to safeguard institutions. They also demanded social services and development projects in the area," the statement said.

In February 2012, armed clashes erupted between the two tribes, killing more than 100 people and displacing almost half of the residents in Kufra, an oasis in southern Libya with a population of 40,000 people. Enditem