Libya's divided MPs agree to in-country parliament session

They also support plans for parliamentary and presidential elections

A fighters loyal to the internationally recognised Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA) shoots fires a truck-mounted gun during clashes with forces loyal to strongman Khalifa Haftar in the capital Tripoli's suburb of Ain Zara. AFP

A fighter loyal to the internationally recognised Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA) fires his gun during clashes with forces loyal to strongman Khalifa Haftar in the capital Tripoli's suburb of Ain Zara. AFP

A fighters loyal to the internationally recognised Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA) shoots fires a truck-mounted gun during clashes with forces loyal to strongman Khalifa Haftar in the capital Tripoli's suburb of Ain Zara. AFP

A fighter loyal to the internationally recognised Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA) fires his gun during clashes with forces loyal to strongman Khalifa Haftar in the capital Tripoli's suburb of Ain Zara. AFP

A fighter loyal to the internationally recognised Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA) fires trhough a hole in a wall during clashes with forces loyal to strongman Khalifa Haftar in the capital Tripoli's suburb of Ain Zara. AFP

Fighters loyal to the internationally recognised Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA) gather during clashes with forces loyal to strongman Khalifa Haftar in the capital Tripoli's suburb of Ain Zara. AFP

Fighters loyal to the internationally recognised Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA) gather during clashes with forces loyal to strongman Khalifa Haftar in the capital Tripoli's suburb of Ain Zara. AFP

Fighters loyal to the internationally recognised Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA) gather during clashes with forces loyal to strongman Khalifa Haftar in the capital Tripoli's suburb of Ain Zara. AFP

A fighters loyal to the internationally recognised Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA) shoots fires his rifle during clashes with forces loyal to strongman Khalifa Haftar in the capital Tripoli's suburb of Ain Zara. AFP

A fighters loyal to the internationally recognised Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA) shoots fires his rifle as others take position behind a wall during clashes with forces loyal to strongman Khalifa Haftar in the capital Tripoli's suburb of Ain Zara. AFP

Members of Libya's divided House of Representatives, the country's parliament, will meet on home soil for the first time in 18 months.

They supported plans for parliamentary and presidential elections, the latest step towards bridging Libya's political divide, following a series of meetings involving about 110 MPs in Tangiers, Morocco.

They will meet in early December in Ghadames, a town near the border Libya shares with Tunisia and Algeria and regarded as one of the safest places to hold negotiations in Libya. By talking, MPs hope to finalise a plan that will unite the parliament.

In the summer of 2014, 200 MPs were elected to the house but it was almost immediately forced to move to the city of Tobruk in the east of Libya as the country’s security situation disintegrated.

Many MPs often failed to attend sessions, in part because of safety fears.

Divisions widened in April 2019, when dozens of MPs began holding meetings in Tripoli instead. They also elected an interim speaker.

A recent ceasefire has largely held and peace talks between senior military officials are under way.

A separate UN-led diplomatic effort has set out a roadmap for elections at the end of next year, but the 75 participants have not agreed on a unified transitional government needed to oversee the vote.