Libya's unity government faces resistance in Tripoli

Having just arrived in Tripoli, leaders of Libya’s new national unity government are facing hostility from a section of the population and more radical factions of Libya, who have declared to fight the new administration which they describe as imposed by the Western powers.

Members of the UN-backed Presidential Council arrived in Tripoli by boat, after being forced to make the journey from Tunisia by sea. Airspace around the Libyan capital was closed for several hours on Sunday and Monday.

Officials said the aim was to keep them out of the city and prevent them from setting up the unity government.

Seven officials, including council head Fayez Seraj and Libya’s new prime minister landed at the Abusita naval base after a 12-hour journey from the Tunisian port of Sfax.

The Union government was formed last January to bring peace in Libya which has been in chaos since 2011 after the fall of Muammar Gaddafi.

The unity government must not only win against the military-political bloc of Fajr Libya, but also the Tobruk rival power, recognized by the international community.