Libya appeals for weapons to battle militia

Cairo - Libya's internationally recognised
government on Monday appealed for weapons to
combat militias which have seized parts of the oil-
rich nation, at an emergency meeting of the Arab
League.
"We call on the international community to assume
its legal and moral responsibilities and to arm,
without further delay, the Libyan army," said
Libya's representative to the Cairo-based Arab
League, Ashur Bou Rashed.
More than three years after dictator Muammar
Gaddafi was toppled and killed in a Nato-backed
revolt, Libya is awash with weapons and powerful
militias, and it has rival governments and
parliaments.
The internationally recognised government and the
parliament elected in June have been based in the
remote east since an Islamist-backed militia
coalition, Fajr Libya (Libya Dawn), seized Tripoli
last year.
Fajr Libya also controls third city Misrata, while
much of second city Benghazi is also in the hands
of militias.
Terrorist operations
Bou Rashed insisted on the need to score a
"military victory over the brutal militias to prevent
them from further expanding their influence across
Libya" and help reach a political solution.
His comments came as the United Nations
postponed peace talks it was hoping to hold
Monday between Libya's warring factions.
The talks were originally slated for 9 December but
have been repeatedly delayed amid fighting in
Libya.
In mid-December, Fajr Libya launched an assault
to try to seize key oil terminals.
At least 22 pro-government forces were killed in
fighting with the militias who fired a rocket that set
ablaze tanks at Al-Sidra oil terminal. The military
retaliated by raiding Misrata.
Arab League chief Nabil al-Arabi voiced regret at
the postponement of the UN-brokered talks.
"Our priority today is to adopt a decisive position
that would lead to an immediate end to armed
terrorist operations" in Libya, he said.