Libya's rival factions debate candidates for unity gov’t

SKHIRAT, Morocco — Delegates from Libya's warring factions met on Monday with a UN envoy in Morocco, where they were under pressure to agree on names to lead a unity government and revive a stalled peace process.

Four years after the fall of Muammar Qadhafi, Libya has descended into a conflict between two rival governments and their armed allies that Western nations fear could fragment the North African country into a failed state.

Libya's internationally recognised government and the elected house of representatives has been confined to the east since an armed faction Libya Dawn took over Tripoli last year, set up its own government and reinstated a former parliament known as the General National Congress (GNC).

After months of negotiations and stalled talks, the United Nations has presented the two sides with a deal to form a national unity government and a peace agreement to end the turmoil, which has allowed Islamist militants to gain ground.

Talks missed several deadlines to finalise an agreement. On Monday, a source close to negotiations said UN envoy Bernardino Leon began holding discussions with participants about names of candidates for a unity government.