Fighters loyal to the UN-recognised Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA) celebrate together in the Qasr bin Ghashir district south of the Libyan capital Tripoli on June 4, 2020, after the area was taken over by pro-GNA forces following clashes with rival forces loyal to strongman Khalifa Haftar. (Mahmud TURKIA / AFP)

Libyan strongman Khalifa Haftar has accepted an Egyptian-sponsored ceasefire and a political initiative to end the war he launched more than a year ago to take the capital Tripoli, two Western diplomats said.

Haftar is expected to take part in a ceremony attended by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and Libyan parliament speaker Aguileh Saleh later on Saturday in Cairo, the officials said, asking not to be identified because the agreement hasn’t yet been publicly announced.

Haftar has resisted previous long-term ceasefires, but his defeat in the west at the hands of Libyan government forces backed by Turkey has left him little choice but to accept a political initiative proposed by Saleh

The peace initiative, coordinated by Egypt, comes after a round of meetings in Cairo and a day after forces loyal to the internationally backed government in Tripoli took over Haftar’s remaining stronghold in western Libya, effectively defeating his self-styled Libyan National Army. The LNA still controls the east and south of the oil-rich North African state. Haftar has been supported by Russia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt.

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Haftar has resisted previous long-term ceasefires, refusing to sign a deal in January at a meeting hosted by Russia. But his defeat in the west at the hands of Libyan government forces backed by Turkey has left him little choice but to accept a political initiative proposed by Saleh, whose eastern-based parliament is allied with Haftar. Saleh had opposed an attempt by Haftar last month to assume total control of the east, widening a rift between the two. Egypt had mediated an agreement between them over the past week.

Saleh’s initiative proposes a smaller presidential council in Tripoli to reform the one headed by Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj, with members chosen by electoral colleges from Libya’s east, west and south, the diplomats said. Saturday’s announcement will also emphasize that Haftar seeks a unified Libya, one of the diplomats said.

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A spokesman for Haftar’s LNA did not respond to calls and text messages seeking comment. A spokesman for Sarraj could not immediately provide comment. Egypt’s presidency said in a statement that it had received Saleh and Haftar, without providing further details on an initiative.