Libya’s new unity gov’t sworn in by parliament

TRIPOLI, Libya

Libya’s new unity government headed by Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh was sworn in on Monday before the Libyan parliament in Tobruk city in eastern Libya.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Libyan lawmaker Mohammad al-Ra'eedh said more than 100 MPs attended the swearing-in session.

“A number of Arab and foreign ambassadors were present during the session,” he added.

Earlier Monday, Dbeibeh's government took the constitutional oath before the High Court in the capital Tripoli before heading to Tobruk.

Last week, the Libyan parliament granted a vote of confidence to Dbeibeh’s government with 132 votes of the 133 lawmakers who attended the session.

Libyans hope it will end years of civil war that have engulfed the country since the ouster and killing of strongman Muammar al-Qaddafi in 2011.

The war was exacerbated when warlord Khalifa Haftar, supported by several countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Russia, and France, carried out a military onslaught to topple the Tripoli-based internationally recognized government for control of the North African country.

Ahmed Asmar contributed to this report from Ankara