Fighters of the UN-backed Libyan government forces patrol in frontline in Tripoli, Libya, on Feb. 11, 2020. Libya's United Nations-backed government on Monday accused the rival east-based army of "intransigence" by refusing to agree to a ceasefire proposal during the Libyan 5+5 Joint Military Commission (JMC) talks in Geneva. (Photo by Amru Salahuddien/Xinhua)
TRIPOLI, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Libya's United Nations-backed government on Monday accused the rival east-based army of "intransigence" by refusing to agree to a ceasefire proposal during the Libyan 5+5 Joint Military Commission (JMC) talks in Geneva.
"The committee negotiated with the UN Mission about a ceasefire in all of Libya, disengaged forces, return of displaced people, and ending the bloodshed between the Libyans," General Ahmad Abu-Shahma, head of the UN-backed government's military committee, said in a statement.
"However, it (the proposal) was not approved eventually due to intransigence and rejection of the other party that refused to withdraw from residential areas where the clashes are. Thus, we did not approve or sign it," the statement explained.
The first round of the Libyan 5+5 JMC talks in Geneva concluded on Saturday.
The Commission was agreed upon during the recent Berlin conference on Libya. Five military representatives from each one of Libya's rival parties have been chosen to negotiate ceasefire and reach a comprehensive political settlement in Libya.
According to the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), the Commission constitutes one of the three intra-Libyan tracks UNSMIL is organizing, along with the economic and political tracks.
The east-based army had been leading a military campaign since April 2019 in and around Tripoli, attempting to take over the capital city from the UN-backed government.
The fighting killed and injured thousands of people and forced more than 150,000 civilians to flee their homes.
The rivals agreed to a ceasefire on Jan. 12, but both parties exchanged accusations of breaching the truce.
