General Khalifa Haftar (R), commander of the armed forces, shakes hands with UN envoy Martin Kobler, the head of the UN. (AFP Photo)
Libyan political rivals signed today a deal on a unity government despite opposition on both sides, in what the United Nations described as a "first step" towards ending the crisis.
Lawmakers from the country's two rival parliaments, as well as other political figures, inked the UN-sponsored accord in the Moroccan resort of Skhirat, an AFP journalist said.
It comes despite a warning from the heads of the parliaments that the deal has no legitimacy and the politicians signing the agreement represent only themselves.
UN envoy Martin Kobler acknowledged that much remained to be done to end the turmoil that has allowed terrorists and people-smugglers to flourish since the fall of dictator Moamer Kadhafi in 2011.
"This is just the beginning of a long journey for Libya. Signing is only the first step on the road to putting Libya back on the right track," he said at the ceremony.
"The door is always open to those who are not here today. The new government must move urgently to address the concerns of those who feel marginalised."