Libyan parliament opens talks with rival groups

The Libyan parliament Monday started talks with opposing political figures in the border town of Ghadames, in an attempt to prevent the country from descending further into anarchy.

The talks were held under the aegis of the UN Support Mission in Libya and on the initiative of the UN Secretary General's Special Representative, Bernardino Leon, Xinhua reported.

Local media reported that delegations representing different parties would mainly focus on how to curb the deadly militant clashes flaring up in different cities and on the troubled political transition.

Libya has been witnessing a frayed political process since the 2011 turmoil, which toppled former leader Muammar Gaddafi, and is now juggling two rival parliaments and governments.

According to Libya's transitional plan, the elected House of Representatives has already replaced the former interim parliament, General National Congress. However, the Islamist armed alliance Libya Dawn, which achieved a series of military advances lately in the capital and backs the ex-parliament, has formed its own government against the new one.

The Libya Dawn and ex-parliament supporters were excluded from Monday's talks, as Prime Minister Abdullah Thinni said earlier that the government did not "negotiate with terrorists."