Army spat threatens Libya peace process

New divisions have emerged in Libya's eastern army after a military spokesperson accused its top commander of corruption, calling into question the country's ability to reach a lasting peace settlement following the recent announcement of a new unity government.

In an angry TV interview late Thursday, spokesperson Mohammed Hegazy accused General Khalifa Hifter of corruption.

In 2014, Libya split into two rival governments. Hifter's army backs the government in the east, while a second Islamist-dominated parliament sits in the capital, Tripoli, in western Libya. 

Both are supported by loose-knit coalitions of loyal militias and tribes.

The unity government, which was announced on Tuesday, has not yet been endorsed by the eastern parliament but is seen as a tentative first step to end the civil war.