BENGHAZI: Libya’s internationally recognised premier presented yesterday a new cabinet to parliament in the eastern city of Tobruk, in opposition to a Tripoli government, as the strife-torn country’s political divisions deepened.
The administration of Abdullah Al Thinni and parliament, elected in June, both moved to Tobruk in August for security reasons when Islamist-backed militias captured most of the capital Tripoli and second city Benghazi.
Since then, the dissolved interim parliament, or General National Congress (GNC), has been reinstated in Tripoli and a rival government named under Omar Al Hassi.
Libya has been rocked by political instability since a Nato-backed uprising toppled and killed dictator Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.
Thinni’s proposed government team of 18 members will now be reviewed by parliament, said speaker Fradj Abu Hashem.
“We began discussing the list of ministers that was presented,” Abu Hashem said, without giving any names. One deputy, speaking anonymously, said Thinni has proposed keeping the key defence portfolio while giving the interior portfolio, another crucial job, to former independent minister Ashur Shwayel. He said a woman, Farid Al Allagui, was named as foreign minister, and Abdelhafidh Ghoga, a former member of the post-revolution National Transitional Council, as justice minister.
In March, the Islamist-dominated GNC ousted premier Ali Zeidan in a no-confidence vote and temporarily replaced him with Thinni until a permanent successor could be found.
But political wrangling prevented that, and Thinni carried on in the job on a caretaker basis.
Thinni submitted his resignation in August, but parliament asked him earlier this month to form a new government.
Islamist fighters launched another offensive yesterday on the airport in Benghazi, the latest in near-daily violence to rock the North African nation since Gaddafi’s ouster. The fighters of the Shura Revolutionary Council, which includes the Islamist Ansar Al Shariah group, have been trying since early September to capture the facility, which houses both civilian and military airfields.
Nine soldiers from a special forces unit loyal to renegade former general Khalifa Haftar have been killed and another 30 wounded in the fighting over the past three days, according to one of their commanders.
AFP
