TRIPOLI (AFP) -
Authorities
in control of Libya's capital on Friday declared a "maximum state of
emergency" after a UN-backed unity government that they reject said its
members would head to Tripoli to begin work.
The city is under the
control of an administration backed armed groups including Islamists
that is not internationally recognised.
The head of the Tripoli
authorities Khalifa Ghweil called on his interior and defence ministries
and allied armed groups to "take all security measures necessary to
preserve the country's stability by increasing patrols and security
checks", a statement on his administration's website said.
But
streets were calm on Friday morning, an AFP photographer said, with
police cars deployed at their usual positions around the city, but no
signs of extra security measures.
Libya has had two rival
administrations since mid-2014 when an armed alliance overran the
capital, setting up its own authority and causing the government backed
by the internationally recognised parliament to flee east.
The
United Nations has been pushing for the two sides to cede power to a
unity government under a power-sharing deal announced in December, but
both have rejected the new authority headed by prime minister-designate
Fayez al-Sarraj.
The Tunisia-based presidential council headed by
Sarraj said this week that the unity government would start work in
Tripoli "within the coming days".
The council earlier this month
said the unity government would take office on the basis of a petition
signed by a narrow majority of Libya's elected lawmakers.
UN
special envoy Martin Kobler was on Wednesday prevented from travelling
to Tripoli to work on installing the power-sharing administration.
Libya
has descended into chaos since the 2011 ouster of longtime dictator
Moamer Kadhafi, allowing jihadists including the Islamic State group to
gain ground in the oil-rich country.
© 2016 AFP
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