Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Monday that most parties to the conflict have signed the agreement except for Libyan general-turned-warlord Khalifa Haftar and his ally Aguila Saleh, speaker of Libya's breakaway parliament in the east.

"There has been certain progress," said Lavrov. But Haftar and Aguila "have asked for a bit more time until morning to make a decision on signing" the document, he added.

Haftar, who leads the militia known as Libyan National Army, is a key guarantor of the rival eastern government's power.

The warring factions are expected in Berlin later this month but a date has yet to be set, according to German government spokesman Steffen Seibert.

Read more: Germany, Russia see goals align amid tension in Middle East

Libyan strongman Haftar had previously served as a general in Gadhafi's regime

Uncertainty looms

Haftar's forces have been locked in fierce fighting for control of the Libyan capital Tripoli, where the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) remains in power.

Although forces loyal to the Tripoli-based government have managed to fend off Haftar's offensive, the entrance of Russian mercenaries and Turkish soldiers on opposing sides threatened to further plunge the country into chaos.

The agreement follows diplomatic efforts led by Russia and Turkey to implement the ceasefire. But Russian experts said it's unclear whether an agreement would have any effect on the ground.

"It is hard to say how that will influence the situation on the battlefield," Andrey Ontikov, a Moscow-based Middle East expert, told DW. "There are a lot of foreign players involved in this conflict, a lot of foreign players who have an influence on the way the situation in Libya develops."

Read more: EU divisions over Libya leave a gap for others

Watch video 02:39 Share Ray of hope in war-torn Libya Send Facebook google+ Whatsapp Tumblr linkedin stumble Digg reddit Newsvine Permalink https://p.dw.com/p/3Qb1P A ray of hope in war-torn Libya

'Not what Putin wants'

Turkey is at odds with Saudi Arabia, Russia and Egypt, which support the rival eastern-based Libyan government backed by Haftar. Last week, Turkey deployed troops to Libya in support of the Tripoli-based government.

The deployment could have put Turkish troops on a crash course with Russian mercenaries supporting Haftar's troops, military expert Pavel Felgenhauer told DW.

"For Putin, Turkey is very important," Felgenhauer said. "In Libya, it was looking like Russia and Turkey would be fighting each other, not just by proxy but maybe even directly, with Russian mercenaries fighting for Haftar and Turkey pledging to deploy combat forces for Sarraj. And that was not what Putin wants at all."

Read more: Libya's civil war: US 'undermines any hope for a successful political process'

What is the Libyan conflict?

Libya plunged into chaos in 2011 after dictator Moammar Gadhafi launched a brutal crackdown against anti-government protesters. NATO-backed rebels eventually defeated the regime and captured Gadhafi, who was killed in captivity. Since then, warring factions have fought a bitter war to maintain power in the North African country.

The the UN-backed government in Tripoli has been under attack since last April by forces loyal to Haftar. The latest development in the conflict has killed more than 280 civilians and 2,000 fighters, and displaced 146,000 Libyans, according to UN figures

Read more: Could Libya be Russia's new Syria?

Emily Sherwin, DW's correspondent in Moscow, contributed to this report.

Libya's rocky path to democracy Ousted after decades For more than 40 years, Moammar Gadhafi was the eccentric strongman in power in Libya. He was known for his odd behavior - and for his regime's ties to international terror groups. Libya was one of the countries swept up by the Arab Spring, and protests eventually turned into a civil war. Gadhafi fled but was eventually captured and killed In October, 2011.

Libya's rocky path to democracy Chance for peace After Gadhafi fell, the eyes of the world were on Libya in the hope that the country would have a smooth transition to democracy. By July 2012, democratic parliamentary elections had taken place, but it proved to be a challenge for the country's politicians to form a coalition and compromise on issues that would bring further stability.

Libya's rocky path to democracy Militias gaining strength Another problem facing Libya in the post-Gadhafi era was the rise of violent militias. While various armed groups did band together to topple the dictator, they did not have a common cause to rally around after his death. Instead, they fought each other. Terrorist groups were also on the rise in Libya, and staged a deadly attack on the US embassy in Benghazi on September 11, 2012.

Libya's rocky path to democracy Deeply divided Political divisions became deeper in the years following Gadhafi's ouster. The UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) is the internationally-recognized authority in Libya, but several factions on the ground are claiming a hold on power. Jihadist groups including the so-called 'Islamic State' have gained a significant foothold in the country, making any progress precarious.

Libya's rocky path to democracy Shifting sands At present, the Tripoli-based GNA controls parts of western and central Libya while Haftar's Libyan National Army holds much of the northeast. However, areas of power are constantly shifting due to ongoing "Islamic State" violence and the country's many different smaller factions.

Libya's rocky path to democracy Looking for help In recent weeks, Libya has reached out to NATO for assistance in strengthening the country's security institutions in an effort to end the power struggle between competing governments and militias. Leaders of two of the biggest groups - the GNA and the self-proclaimed Libyan National Army LNA - called for an end to the political and economic crises in the country. Author: Matt Zuvela



ls/ng (AP, AFP, Reuters)

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