Libya's presidential council announces revised unity government

Reuters

SKHIRAT, Morocco (Reuters) - Libya's Presidential Council named a revised line-up late on Sunday for a unity government under a United Nations-backed plan aimed at ending the conflict in the North African state. One of the council's members, Fathi al-Majbari, said in a televised statement that a list of 13 ministers and five ministers of state had been sent to Libya's eastern parliament for approval. The parliament, which has been recognised internationally, rejected an initial line-up proposed last month amid complaints that, at 32, the number of ministers named was too high. The U.N. plan under which the unity government was named is aimed at bringing together Libya's warring factions and helping tackle a growing threat from Islamic State militants. But since it was signed in Morocco in December, it has been opposed by hard-liners on both sides and suffered repeated delays. "We call on Libyans suffering from the fighting ... and the members of parliament to support the Government of National Accord, which will provide the framework to fight terrorism," Majbari said. Libya slid into conflict soon after the uprising that toppled Muammar Gaddafi five years ago. Since 2014, it has had two competing governments, one based in Tripoli and the other in the east, both of which are backed by loose alliances of armed brigades and former rebels. Islamic State has taken advantage of a security vacuum to establish a foothold in Libya, taking control of the city of Sirte and threatening to expand from there. Western governments have urged Libyan factions to back the unity government so that it can start taking on the threat and call in international support where needed. U.N. Libya envoy Martin Kobler was quick to congratulate the Presidential Council on nominating a new Cabinet. "The journey to peace and unity of the Libyan people has finally started," he said in a post on Twitter. (Reporting by Aziz al-Yaakoubi in Rabat, Ahmed Elumami in Tripoli; Writing by Aidan Lewis; Editing by Jonathan Oatis)