Download
Libya's General National Congress removed the prime minister from office on Tuesday after a tanker laden with crude oil from a rebel-held terminal broke through a naval blockade and escaped to sea, underscoring the weakness of the central government.
A no-confidence motion was approved by 124 of the 194 members of Congress, four more than the majority required, legislators said.
Libyan gunboats later chased the tanker along the country's eastern Mediterranean coast and opened fire, damaging it, a military spokesman said.
Italian naval ships were helping move the tanker to a Libyan government-controlled port, he said. But Italy denied having any vessels in the area at the time, and the reported firing incident could not be confirmed.
Western powers fear the vast North African state could break apart, with the government struggling to rein in armed militias and tribesmen who helped oust former ruler Muammar Gadhafi in 2011 and want to grab power and oil revenues.
Ousted Prime Minister Ali Zeidan left the country hours after he was removed from office, despite a ban on travel.
On Wednesday, officials in Tripoli could not confirm the departure of Zeidan, Libya's first democratically chosen leader, who had struggled for 15 months to stem the country's spiraling descent into chaos.
In nearby Malta, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat told state-owned television that Zeidan had made a brief stopover on the Mediterranean island late on Tuesday, before traveling on.
Soon after the lawmakers voted, Libya's general prosecutor banned Zeidan from travel pending an investigation into corruption Zeidan, a liberal weakened for months by infighting with Islamists, will be temporarily replaced by Defense Minister Abdallah al-Thinni, who was sworn in by Congress on Tuesday evening.
Deputies said they had decided to mount a no-confidence vote after the tanker managed to sail away from Es Sider port, one of three major export terminals the government has lost to rebels.
"The government has been weakened for a time, and we need a new personality," said al-Sharif al-Wafi, an independent lawmaker. A new prime minister will be elected by deputies within two weeks, he said.
Zeidan told Reuters late on Monday that navy forces had halted the tanker and were escorting it to a government-controlled port in western Libya.
But rebel leader Ibrahim Jathran mocked Zeidan by going on television hours later while standing on a ship, insisting his forces still controlled the 37,000-ton tanker.
About the broadcaster:
Lance Crayon is a videographer and editor with China Daily. Since living in Beijing he has worked for China Radio International (CRI) and Global Times. Before moving to China he worked in the film industry in Los Angeles as a talent agent and producer. He has a B.A. in English from the University of Texas at Arlington.
体坛英语资讯:Wuhan virus sees Olympic football qualifiers moved
国内英语资讯:Chinese, British FMs hold phone talks over COVID-19
体坛英语资讯:Mestalla to put Setiens pasting game to the test
鸭鸭虽然暂时不能去灭蝗了,但这些生物的确是生物防治的功臣
中国商家推出“无接触”销售 降低疫情影响
11月再见!007新片受疫情影响将推迟上映
国内英语资讯:Shandong, Xinjiang lower coronavirus emergency response
国内英语资讯:China issues contingency plan against locust threat
老外爱逛北京菜市场
The Meaning of Womens Day 妇女节的意义
体坛英语资讯:Beijing 2022 mascots meet fans in Olympic Museum, as Bach extends Chinese New year greetings
体坛英语资讯:Strong winds batter Australian Open as big names breeze through
国际英语资讯:Indian PMs visit to Bangladesh deferred over COVID-19
体坛英语资讯:FA Cup fourth round offers the chance for glory and disaster
体坛英语资讯:Juve knock out Roma 3-1 to reach Coppa Italia semis
国内英语资讯:Commentary: Close cooperation only way to beat COVID-19
国际英语资讯:Coronavirus cases rise in Europe as WHO says figure outside China hit 20,000
河北聘请海外专家治霾
国内英语资讯:Vice premier stresses community-level epidemic prevention, control
博文言过其实的危害
国内英语资讯:Chinese mainland reports 2 new imported COVID-19 cases
Lucky Money 红包
国内英语资讯:Coronavirus-infected centenarian discharged from hospital after recovery
体坛英语资讯:Roundup: Wang stuns Williams, Osaka out on day 5 of Australian Open
国际英语资讯:New York governor declares state of emergency as COVID-19 cases soar to 76 statewide
美前总统吉米·卡特认为自己受到监控
如何战胜抑郁
国内英语资讯:Xi Focus: Xi extends solicitude to females fighting epidemic on Intl Womens Day
国内英语资讯:Death toll rises to 13 after hotel collapses in east China
国内英语资讯:1,297 recovered COVID-19 patients discharged on Chinese mainland