World powers push Libyan factions for unity in Rome

Western powers yesterday met envoys from Libya's political factions to nudge them towards agreeing on a unity government, hoping this would stop the spread of Islamic State militancy in the chaotic North African country.

US Secretary of State John Kerry and Italian counterpart Paolo Gentiloni, flanked by United Nations envoy Martin Kobler, chaired a meeting of foreign ministers and senior officials from North Africa, the Middle East and Europe. They were joined later by 15 representatives of Libyan factions.

Various sides last week agreed to Dec 16 as a date to sign the deal, but some hardliners are resisting.

With Libya less than 300 km across the Mediterranean Sea, Italy has sought to focus international attention on the OPEC country's drift towards anarchy, particularly since last month's Islamic State attacks in Paris.

A senior US State Department official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the meeting would endorse the agreement, hoping it would give Libyans confidence to move ahead knowing they had international support.

The agreement would allow a new Libyan government to ask for international military assistance to fight Islamic State's growing presence, which has mushroomed since a Western-backed rebellion toppled dictator Muammar Gaddafi four years ago.

With around 3,000 fighters, Islamic State has solidified its foothold in Libya by taking over the central city of Sirte. It has attacked a hotel and a prison in Tripoli, oil fields and military checkpoints, and issued a video of its militants beheading 21 Egyptian Christians on a Libyan beach.

Meanwhile, Syria's al-Qaeda affiliate on Saturday rejected the outcome of an opposition summit in Riyadh that agreed to negotiate with President Bashar al-Assad, and Russia denounced the gathering in Saudi Arabia as unrepresentative.

The latest developments come with US Secretary of State John Kerry due in Moscow tomorrow. Al-Nusra Front chief Abu Mohamed al-Jolani rejected the outcome of the talks in Riyadh as a "plot" and accused rebels who had attended of "treason".

On the ground, at least 28 civilians were killed in heavy bombardment of a besieged Syrian rebel stronghold of Douma, including near a school, east of Damascus on Sunday, a monitoring group said.