DHAKA: Libya's interim parliament approved a new government, led by Prime Minister Ahmed Mitig, in a controversial vote that threatens to deepen the country's political and security crisis.

A total of 83 of 93 members present voted in favor of Mitig's government.

Lawmakers in the Islamist-dominated General National Congress (GNC) defied a threat issued by militias allied with renegade general Khalifa Haftar, who promised to storm, raid and arrest members.

The threat was issued by the same group that attacked the GNC headquarters in Tripoli last week, triggering fighting across the capital that left at least four people dead and dozens injured.

Shortly before the vote in parliament, the EU's special envoy to Libya described the situation as the country's worst crisis since 2011.

The outgoing culture minister warned the GNC's insistence on confirming Mitig's government could lead to more violence.

Mitig, a businessman from the city of Misrata, was chosen to form a cabinet earlier this month in a disputed vote pushed through by the Islamist blocs.

The emergence of Haftar and his self-declared Libyan National Army escalated tensions last week, as the retired general called for the overthrow of the GNC he described as "illegitimate."

Haftar also launched what he called an open-ended war on Islamist extremist groups and vowed to "purge" Libya of them. His campaign has widened divisions in the country with Islamist and anti-Islamist camps.

In an effort to try to ease tensions, Libya's electoral commission announced early elections will be held on June 25.

Haftar was once a general in the Libyan army under Dictator Moammar Gadhafi but had a falling out with him and immigrated to the United States, where he lived for almost 20 years. He returned in 2011 to participate in the revolution that overthrew Gadhafi.

Source: CNN

BDST: 1128 HRS, MAY 26, 2014