News / North Africa

UN-brokered Libya talks kicks off in Tunisia

Monday, 05 September 2016 4:51 PM [ Last Update: Tuesday, 06 September 2016 4:07 AM ]

Libyan political leaders attend a UN-sponsored meeting of the Libya Dialogue committee on September 5, 2016 in the Tunisian capital, Tunis. (AFP photo)

Libyan politicians have started UN-brokered talks in Tunisia to discuss the power struggle between warring political parties and the threat posed by Takfiri militants who are undermining stability in the North African country.

Libyan political leaders began the UN-sponsored meeting of the Libya Dialogue committee in the Tunisian capital, Tunis on Monday.

Jamel Achour, one of the participants at the Tunis talks, said that the meeting was aimed at attempting to "find urgent solutions to the stifling climate facing the country."

"The Libyan nation needs the presidential council to take concrete steps... to solve the problems we and our children are facing," media outlets quoted Achour as saying.

This comes as the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) led by Fayez al-Sarraj is still struggling to fully impose its legitimacy across the North African nation and facing rejection by Libya's parliament.

On August 22 ,the UN-backed government in Libya faced a major blow as lawmakers in the internationally-recognized parliament rejected the cabinet and gave a nine-member presidential council headed by Sarraj a "final chance" to propose new ministers.

Libya’s unity government was the result of months of efforts by the United Nations to reconcile warring sides of the conflict in Libya. The two sides, the internationally-recognized government based in Tobruk in east and a militant-backed authority in the capital Tripoli in west, reached a peace deal and an agreement on setting up the unity government in December last year.

The GNA has had also difficulty taking over as fighting continues among a plethora of militia groups in the country.

Forces loyal to Libya's UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) hold a position during clashes with the Daesh Takfiri terrorists in Sirte, August 14, 2016. (AFP)

Moreover, Takfiri Daesh terrorist group, which is mainly active in Syria and Iraq, has taken advantage of the political chaos in Libya to increase its presence there.

The UN earlier warned that Daesh may set up new terror cells in Libya and North Africa as Libyan forces are advancing further against the Takfiri group in the Libyan city of Sirte, its major stronghold in the region.

Libya has been scene of increasing violence since 2011, when long-time dictator Muammar Gaddafi was toppled from power. His ouster created a huge power vacuum in Libya and gave leeway to numerous militant groups.

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