Tripoli - Libya's unity government was trying to assert its authority in Tripoli on Thursday after the new prime minister-designate's sudden arrival in the capital sparked tensions.
Fayez al-Sarraj's arrival at a naval base on Wednesday drew fury from the militia-backed authority in charge of Tripoli, which demanded he leave or surrender.
Gunmen stormed the headquarters of a Libyan television station late on Wednesday, apparently in support of the new government, but the capital appeared calm early on Thursday.
Banks and shops were open, police were posted on the streets and flights had resumed at Metiga airport after being suspended on Wednesday “for security reasons”.
“The reactions have been better than we hoped for. The situation is good,” an adviser to Sarraj told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity.
After spending the night at the naval base, Sarraj was planning several visits around the capital on Thursday, his adviser said without providing further details.
The new government's arrival had been hailed by the international community as a crucial step in restoring order to Libya, which has been wracked by chaos since the 2011 overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi.
Formed under a power-sharing deal agreed in December, the unity government is meant to take over from rival groups running the country.
Libya has had two administrations since mid-2014 when the militia alliance overran Tripoli, setting up its own authority and forcing the internationally recognised parliament to flee to the country's remote east.
International leaders, increasingly alarmed by the rise of jihadists and people-smugglers in the impoverished North African state, have called on Libya's political rivals to back the unity government.
“I urge all to support an immediate, orderly and peaceful transfer of power to the #GNA in #Libya,” UN envoy Martin Kobler wrote on Twitter Thursday, referring to the Government of National Accord.
“In #Tripoli #Libya it's clear that opposition doesn't come from the people. Those who obstruct do it against the will of the people,” he said.
Sarraj is facing an uphill battle. Both of the rival administrations have so far refused to cede power and it was unclear how his new government would go about establishing its authority.
After arriving on Wednesday with a naval escort along with several members of his cabinet, Sarraj said he would make “reconciliation and the settlement of security and economic crises” his top priorities.
The Tripoli government insisted he leave the capital or “hand himself in”.
“Those who entered illegally and secretly must surrender or turn back,” the head of the Tripoli authorities, Khalifa Ghweil, said in a televised address. “We won't leave Tripoli as long as we are not sure of the fate of our homeland.”
Cracks of gunfire were heard around the capital late on Wednesday and the armed men seized control of the Al-Nabaa satellite television station in the city centre, cutting transmissions and forcing out staff. The channel is close to the Tripoli authorities.
But there were no other reports of major violence.
“I just dropped off my girl at school. Everything seems normal but we are watching very carefully in case things degenerate,” said Tripoli resident Jamal, on his way to join friends at a cafe.
The United States had on Wednesday led a chorus of Western welcome for Sarraj's arrival, with Secretary of State John Kerry saying the unity government “can now begin the crucial work of addressing the full range of Libya's political, security, economic and humanitarian challenges”.
The European Union's foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini said Sarraj's arrival was “a unique opportunity for Libyans of all factions to reunite”.
She added that the 28-nation bloc stood ready to support Libya and had already prepared an aid package worth 100 million euros ($110 million).
Sarraj and his cabinet had previously been blocked from entering Tripoli by the authorities, who even closed the airspace several times to prevent them flying in.
The unity government announced this month that it would start work on the back of a petition signed by a narrow majority of Libya's elected lawmakers.
The United States and its European allies have threatened sanctions against those who undermine the political process.
Western powers are especially worried by the growth of the Islamic State group in Libya.
The jihadist organisation has seized control of Gaddafi's coastal hometown of Sirte and launched a wave of attacks, both against rival Libyan forces and across the border in Tunisia.
Western countries are considering military action against the jihadists in Libya but want a unity government to request help first.
Libya has long been a stepping stone for migrants seeking to cross the Mediterranean to Europe, which lies just 300 kilometres away, and traffickers have also exploited the country's recent instability.
Around 330 000 migrants have landed in Italy from Libya since the start of 2014.
AFP