Foreign ministers hold talks in Vienna as Daesh continues to threaten Libya

In trying to help create a single military Libyan force, the west is desperate to find ways to strengthen the political authority of the Tripoli-based government, as it believes that it will able both to defeat Daesh and tighten the control of refugees leaving the lawless coastland for Italy. Yet in spite of this, elaborate plans to send thousands of Italian-led troops to the area are either on hold, or have been abandoned.

Special forces from the US, UK, France and Italy are operating in various parts of Libya, sometimes backing different military forces and hindering efforts to reunite Libyan politics behind the UN government of Fayez al-Sarraj.

Sarraj has been trying to broaden his authority in Tripoli since he and his political allies arrived in late March, taking over key institutions such as the central bank and the National Oil Corporation. Nevertheless, he still faces a rival administration, and military power, in the east. Disputes between the factions are such that bankers on one side are depriving the other access to the code to a bank vault containing badly needed cash to pay staff. Different groups are also trying to export oil.

“At the Vienna meeting on Monday, the unseasoned Tripoli administration is likely to submit a list of requests for western partners to assist its forces with arms, training and intelligence,” officials said.

The meeting will be held under the joint chairmanship of the US and Italy with US secretary of state John Kerry, and Italian foreign minister Paolo Gentiloni.

The Vienna talks will discuss whether to selectively lift an arms embargo so weapons can be sent to the government of Sarraj to take on Daesg. The militant group claims to run about 250km of coastland, but has been broadening its attacks to the south. But in a country overflowing with arms, some argue that lifting an embargo is unwise.

In a new development, the rival military factions from east and west claim to be gathering forces to take on Daesh at its base in Sirte on the Libyan coast, but fears have risen that they will ultimately attack each other.