TRIPOLI, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- Libya's UN-backed government on Wednesday called for unity against "foreign mercenary gangs" in southern Libya.
"We warn again that the division provides an opportunity for foreign mercenary gangs to infiltrate and achieve their greedy goals. These crime, that affect the sovereignty of our country and security of the people, must unite us, and we must live up to our national responsibility," the government said in a statement.
"We renew our call to continue serious effort to find a solution for the political dispute and division and to unify the military establishment as a necessity to protect the country and deter the aggressors," the statement said.
According to local media, clashes took place on Sunday and Monday near the southern town of Um Al-Araneb, some 950 km south of the capital Tripoli, between local security and Chadian opposition militants. The clashes killed four security personnel.
Following the 2011 uprising that toppled former leader Muammar Gaddafi's regime, Libya has been suffering escalating violence and chaos, as well as political division.
