Tripoli, Dec 27 (TIWN) The UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) on Saturday welcomed the exchange of prisoners between rival parties in the war-torn country.

"The Mission takes this opportunity to urge both parties to accelerate the full implementation of the comprehensive ceasefire agreement, signed on October 23, 2020, in Geneva, including the exchange of all prisoners," it said. The eastern-based army and the UN-backed government had been engaged in a deadly armed conflict for more than a year in and around the capital Tripoli, which ended in early June when the UN-backed government announced its takeover of all western Libya after the withdrawal of the eastern-based army. On October 23, the Libyan delegations to the 5+5 Joint Military Commission talks in Geneva signed an UN-sponsored permanent ceasefire agreement. Earlier in November, the Joint Military Commission agreed on terms for the ceasefire implementation in the country, including the return of forces back to their camps and the withdrawal of foreign forces from conflict lines. The delegations also agreed to exchange all prisoners, remove landmines in cooperation with the UN teams and the General Intelligence Service, and combat hate speech.