TRIPOLI // Libya’s rival parliament has pulled out of UN-sponsored peace talks because of what it called fresh violence from the country’s recognised government.
Last week, the United Nations launched a new round of talks in Geneva aimed at defusing the oil producer’s violent struggle between two governments and parliaments vying for control four years after the ousting of Muammar Gaddafi.
The rival assembly, known as the General National Congress (GNC), was set up after an armed group called Libya Dawn seized the capital of Tripoli last summer.
The internationally recognised prime minister, Abdullah Al Thinni, transferred his government to the eastern city of Tobruk.
On Sunday, the GNC had accepted the UN dialogue on condition that the meetings took place in Libya, not Geneva.
However, GNC spokesman Omar Hmeidan has now made clear that the Tripoli assembly will no longer take part in the talks, regardless of where they were held.
He accused troops allied to the opposing government of storming a central bank branch in the eastern city of Benghazi.
Troops loyal to Mr Thinni took over the central bank branch after expelling militant fighters from the area, confirmed an army commander.
Rival factions had attended last week’s talks in Geneva, but key representatives from the self-declared government and the associated parliament in Tripoli stayed away.
* Reuters
