UN envoy prevented from travelling to Libya capital

Friday 18/03/2016
Tough mission

TRIPOLI - UN envoy Martin Kobler said he was prevented from travelling Wednesday to the Libyan capital for his work on the installation of a new unity government.

Tripoli is under the control of an unrecognised administration backed by a coalition of militias including Islamists that opposes the new government from starting work inside the country.

"UN #Libya envoy supposed to arrive today to discuss moving UN-backed unity government to #Tripoli," the envoy wrote on Twitter.

"Again had to cancel flight to Tripoli... UN must have the right to fly (to) Tripoli," he said, without specifying what had blocked the mission.

Libya has had two rival administrations since mid-2014 when the recognised government was forced from Tripoli to the far east after the Fajr Libya militia coalition overran the capital.

The United Nations is pushing Libya's rival politicians to accept a unity government created under a power-sharing deal announced in December.

It has not been formally endorsed by either parliament but last Saturday the government announced it was taking office on the basis of a petition signed by Libya's elected lawmakers.

Libya has descended into chaos since the 2011 ouster of longtime dictator Muammar Gaddafi, allowing extremist organisations including the Islamic State group to gain ground.