Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


                     UN Announces 12-Hour Truce in Benghazi

   by VOA News

   The United Nations said Wednesday that pro-government forces and
   Islamist militias fighting for control of Libya's key eastern city of
   Benghazi had agreed to a humanitarian truce.

   U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the U.N.-brokered truce started
   at 7 a.m. local time and would last 12 hours. He said the Libyan Red
   Crescent planned to evacuate civilians, remove bodies, tend to the
   wounded and restock food supplies.

   Hundreds of people have been killed since the launch of a
   government-backed offensive against Islamist militias who nearly took
   full control of Benghazi earlier this year.

   A Libyan army spokesman recently said 95 percent of Benghazi was back
   under the control of Libyan army units, but admitted that Islamic
   fighters still controlled some areas.

   The army has been fighting an array of Islamist, tribal and regional
   groups, with Benghazi repeatedly swept up in the turmoil.

   Libya's government and parliament took refuge in remote areas in
   eastern Libya when Islamist-backed militias seized the capital,
   Tripoli, in August. The government has struggled to establish its
   authority across the country, while militants have a large part of it
   under their control.
     __________________________________________________________________

   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/un-announces-truce-benghazi/2526671.h
   tml

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/un-announces-truce-benghazi/2526671.html