Libya risks sliding into civil war unless it brings under control its rival militias. Mustafa Abdel Jalil, chairman of the National Transitional Council (NTC), issued this warning after an outbreak of violence in the capital between government security forces and militias killed 4 people. The NTC has begun to form a fully functioning army and police force to take over the task of providing security, but Jalil acknowledged that progress has been too slow.

The militias, drawn from dozens of different towns and ideological camps, led the nine-month uprising, backed by NATO air strikes, to end Muammar Gaddafi's 42-year rule. Now, however, they are reluctant to disband and lay down their arms.