Blow to Libya unity government as rival seizes offices

TRIPOLI — Libya’s UN-backed unity government has suffered a new setback after a political rival seized key offices in the capital and proclaimed the reinstatement of the former administration.

The United Nations’ Libya envoy condemned the latest challenge to the authority of the Government of National Accord (GNA), warning it would sow “further disorder and insecurity”.

The GNA is the centrepiece of Western hopes to stem an upsurge of extremism in the North African nation and halt people trafficking across the Mediterranean that has led to thousands of drownings.

Led by Prime Minister designate Fayez Sarraj, it was intended to replace two rival administrations, one in Tripoli and one in the country’s far east.

But late on Friday the head of the former Tripoli-based Government of National Salvation, Khalifa Ghweil, proclaimed its reinstatement from the offices of a key consultative body of the GNA.

His announcement added to the confusion surrounding the political situation in the oil-rich country, which is riven by power struggles and under the control of various militias who often switch allegiances.

The capital appeared calm on Saturday with no sign of any unusual military presence, including around the Council of State whose offices were stormed on Friday.

Ghweil has never accepted the legitimacy of the UN-backed government which took control of the administration in Tripoli in April. 

But his position was severely weakened by the loss of support of militias in the capital after the UN deal.

Ghweil is subject to international sanctions, renewed by the European Union just last month.

In his statement, he declared all members of the GNA “suspended from their duties”.

‘Sole legitimate authority’ 

The UN-backed government riposted with a statement threatening to arrest “those politicians who... attempt to create parallel institutions and destabilise the capital”.

 It condemned “efforts to sabotage the political agreement” brokered by the UN last December and denounced the seizure of the Council of State building by an “armed group”.

 UN envoy Martin Kobler expressed his “strong support” Saturday for the unity government as “the sole legitimate authority” under a UN-brokered power-sharing deal struck in December by some lawmakers from both sides.

The persistent chaos has hobbled Western efforts to battle a growing extremists’ presence in Libya, which has been the launchpad of deadly attacks on holidaymakers in neighbouring Tunisia.