Libyan peace talks reconvene

Libya's warring factions Wednesday resumed the UN-brokered dialogue in the southwestern oasis town of Ghadames, in an attempt to resolve the ongoing struggle between two governments and parliaments, Xinhua news agency reported.

All parties have arrived in town, including members from the self-proclaimed parliament, the General National Congress (GNC), according to an official with the UN Support Mission in Libya, who added that parallel talks, attended by Libya's political activists and different interest groups, will be held simultaneously in the Swiss city of Geneva.

The UN earlier this week declined to disclose the date and place of the new round of dialogue, citing security reasons. The previous rounds of talks were also held in Ghadames and Geneva, but failed to reach a consensus and enforce a truce between the groups.

Libya, a major oil producer in North Africa, has been witnessing a frayed political process after its former leader Muammar Gaddafi was toppled during the 2011 political turmoil. The country is now juggling between two rival parliaments and governments.

According to Libya's transitional plan, the parliament elected last June, the House of Representatives (HOR), has already replaced the former interim GNC.

However, the armed Islamist alliance, Libya Dawn, which has achieved a series of military breakthroughs in western Libya since last July, backed the GNC in resuming power and forming its own government against the new one.

The internationally recognised HOR has been struggling to regain the lost territories by launching several airstrikes on areas controlled by the Islamist militants.