Libya's capital Tripoli rocked by battle, as rival PM vies for power
Updated 3.10pm
Libya's capital was rocked early Tuesday by gunfights between backers of two rival administrations, threatening another escalation in the war-torn North African country.
Supporters of a government endorsed by Libya's parliament and by an eastern-based military strongman had tried to move into the western city of Tripoli by force.
That sparked pre-dawn clashes with armed groups supporting interim Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah.
Hours later they pulled out, citing the "security and safety of citizens", as the United Nations, European Union and United States appealed for calm.
There were no immediate reports of casualties from the fighting, but AFP correspondents saw burned-out cars and military convoys on a major thoroughfare later Tuesday morning.
Dbeibah was appointed under a troubled UN-led peace process early last year to lead a transition to elections set for December, but the vote was indefinitely postponed.
In February this year, the eastern-based parliament appointed rival premier and former interior ministry Fathi Bashagha to take his place, arguing that Dbeibah's mandate had ended.
Dbeibah has refused to hand over power except to an elected...