TUNISIA (Sputnik) — The Arab League's decision to provide the internationally recognized government of Libya with support to counter the Islamic State militants hinders the intra-Libyan peace process, the deputy information minister of the opposition self-proclaimed Libyan government told Sputnik on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, the Arab League pledged to provide the Tobruk-based government with a strategy of emergency military aid, responding to their request. The call for help came as Islamic State gained control over the northern Syrian city of Sirte.
"The decision by the LAS [League of Arab States] demonstrates bias against one of the parties in Libya in comparison to the other. This does not help development of the ongoing dialogue for settlement of the political crisis," Hichem Kamuka said.
Kamuka said that the decision was untimely, as the UN-backed intra-Libyan talks were close to creating a national unity government.
Libya has been in a civil war since 2011, when Arab Spring protests led to a revolution and the overthrow of long-time leader Muammar Gaddafi.
Two rival governments operate in Libya, with self-proclaimed authorities controlling the capital of Tripoli and adjacent western areas and an internationally recognized government, based in the eastern Libyan city of Tobruk.