Libyan townsfolk hope unity rule will end their isolation

FILE PHOTO: Libyan Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibeh is seen during a visit to Bani Walid in Libya, May 20, 2021. Media Office of the Prime Minister/Handout via REUTERS

BANI WALID, Libya (Reuters) - In Libya's Bani Walid, flags of ousted autocrat Muammar Gaddafi still fly in some places and streets are ragged with neglect, but its residents have new hope for their town and country.

During a recent visit by Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibeh, head of a new unity government, people waved olive branches as his armoured motorcade passed through the town, which has long been isolated by political disputes. Children raised two fingers in a 'v' for victory and peace.