From Al Jazeera. Any opinions expressed are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Libya Business News.
The ruling by the Supreme Court on Thursday was immediately rejected by the internationally recognised parliament that has moved to the city of Tobruk. The decision came a day after gunmen stormed Libya's biggest oilfield and shut down production at the facility in the country's remote south.
Until the court's ruling, Libya has dad two rival government struggling for power. The other government is now based in Tripoli and is controlled by fighters calling themselves Operation Dawn, who seized the capital in August. The ruling only threatens to divide the country even further.
And adding to the uncertainty are regional powers that back opposing sides, fuelling the fighting with their military support. So, can Libyans avoid a power struggle that threatens to kill more people? Or will the chaos only deepen?
