Libyan peace dialogue pauses for consultation

TRIPOLI (Xinhua) - The UN-sponsored dialogue between Libya's warring factions paused on Saturday, allowing time for representatives from rival parties to consult on plans to solve the ongoing crisis, according Libya's local media.

The UN special envoy to Libya Bernardino Leon concluded the three-day peace talks held in Morocco as "constructive and positive," stressing the dialogue will proceed to end the political crisis.

He did not disclose a specific date for the next round of talks.

During the talks in the last few days, the UN worked as a mediator and shuttled between Libya's different groups, trying to persuade them into forming a unity government.

On Saturday, the different factions met face to face for the first time and held a symbolic meeting, according to Libya's local newspaper al-Wasat.

The representatives have headed back to Libya and will elaborate on the new proposals to their home groups.

Libya has been witnessing frayed political process since the 2011 turmoil, which toppled its former leader Muammar Gaddafi, and it is now juggling two rival parliaments, the secular House of Representatives and the Islamist-backed General National Congress.

Forces loyal to the two major factions have been warring with each other in cities like Tripoli, Benghazi and Gharyan, causing a humanitarian crisis with at least 120,000 people forced to leave their homes, and resulting in consequent shortages in both food and medical supplies along with mounting numbers of casualties.

The UN has held several rounds of dialogue between the conflicting parties since September, but the clashes continued although factions had agreed on a truce.