News / North Africa

Libya’s unity government sacks four ministers

Friday, 01 July 2016 2:02 PM [ Last Update: Friday, 01 July 2016 5:06 PM ]

A handout picture released on June 23, 2016, by the official Facebook page of the media center of the Council of Ministers of the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) shows Fayez al-Sarraj, the prime minister of the UN-backed Libyan unity government (C), holding the first cabinet meeting in the capital.

Libya’s Government of National Accord (GNA) said Friday it had sacked four ministers from the recently-formed cabinet.

The GNA said in a statement on its website that the ministers of justice, economy and industry, finance, and national reconciliation were sacked on Thursday.

The four ministers are reportedly from eastern Libya.

"The dismissed ministers were absent from their work and refused to take up their duties in the Government of National Unity... for over 30 days," the statement said.

The development is considered a blow to the UN attempts for unification of Libya.

Since August 2014, when militants seized the capital, Tripoli, Libya has had two parliaments and two governments, with one, the General National Congress (GNC) run by militants in the capital, and the internationally-recognized administration in the eastern city of Tobruk.

On March 30, Prime Minister-designate Fayez al-Sarraj established the office of his unity government in Tripoli.

Sarraj had named a cabinet of 18 ministers in February with easterners gaining the most important portfolios.

Libya has been grappling with violence and political uncertainty since the oil-rich country’s former dictator Muammar Gaddafi was deposed in 2011. Armed groups and regional factions have been fighting for power ever since.

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