The UN is preparing a new round of talks between Libya’s opposing factions, in an effort to prevent a months-long standoff between two rival governments from turning into a fully-fledged civil war that could tear the country apart.

Libya has effectively been split since Islamist militia took over Tripoli after losing parliamentary elections in June, forcing the elected government to flee to cities in the east. Since then, government forces have launched a campaign to retake Benghazi from a Jihadist group, and repeatedly launched air strikes on the Libya Dawn militia in control of the capital. The Islamists have fought tribes loyal to the government in Western Libya. (CONTINUED - 1018 WORDS)