Fighters of Libya's UN-backed Government of National Accord are seen during clashes with the east-based Libyan National Army (LNA) at the Al-Yarmook frontline in Tripoli, Libya, on Aug. 29, 2019. (Photo by Amru Salahuddien/Xinhua)

Libyan strongman Khalifa Haftar left Moscow on Tuesday without signing a cease-fire agreement aimed at ending nine months of fighting, leaving the future of a fragile truce uncertain.

The commander's abrupt departure in the early hours of Tuesday was a setback for an international diplomatic push in recent days, though Moscow insisted it would continue mediation efforts.

Haftar and his allies were in Moscow on Monday for talks with the UN-recognized government headed by Fayez al-Sarraj and based in Tripoli.

Sarraj's government has been under attack since April from forces loyal to Haftar, who is based in the east of the ­oil-rich North African country with his own loyalist politicians.

The two sides agreed to a cease-fire brokered by Russia and Turkey that took effect at the weekend and were in Moscow to sign a long-term agreement. 

The talks raised hopes of an end to the latest fighting to wrack Libya since a 2011 NATO-­backed uprising killed former leader Moamer Kadhafi.

But after seven hours of negotiations, only Sarraj had signed on to the agreement and Russian officials confirmed that Haftar's delegation had left without signing the deal. 

"We will pursue our efforts in this direction. For now, a definitive result has not been achieved," Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a press conference in Sri Lanka.

Russia, European powers and Libya's neighbors "are working in the same vein and motivating all Libyan sides to agree rather than continue sorting things out by force," Lavrov said.

Russian state news agency RIA Novosti quoted a source in Haftar's stronghold Benghazi as saying he did not sign because the agreement did not spell out a timeline for ­disbanding groups allied with Sarraj's Government of ­National Accord.

Western powers are keen to stabilize Libya - home to ­Africa's largest proven crude ­reserves - following years of turbulence since the 2011 killing of Kadhafi.

Since the start of the offensive against Tripoli, more than 280 civilians and about 2,000 fighters have been killed and 146,000 Libyans displaced, according to the UN.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan made a joint call for a cease-fire, which started at midnight Sunday and was welcomed by the UN.