Libya's new cabinet sworn in

BENGHAZI - Libya's Prime Minister Abdullah Thinni and his new cabinet took the oath of their respective offices at a swearing-in ceremony on Sunday, setting the stage for a further confrontation with the self-proclaimed Islamist government in Tripoli.

The ceremony took place in the eastern town of Tobruk, where Libya's internationally recognized government and parliament are currently based. The new cabinet includes three deputy prime ministers and ten ministers.

The House of Representatives gave confidence to the new cabinet last Monday, tasking Thinni's crew with the crucial mission of tackling Libya's current crisis and curb the deadly clashes between Islamist militants and pro-secular militia.

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

According to Libya's transitional plan, the House of Representatives has already replaced the former interim parliament General National Congress. However, the Islamist armed alliance Libya Dawn, who achieved a series of military progress lately in Tripoli, backed the ex-parliament to assume power and form its own government against the new one.