Libya sends forces to stop protests after official met Israeli minister

Activists had renewed calls for demonstrations against the interim government of national unity and Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh over the meeting. Omar Tarban, head of the Beltress activist group, said more than 16 people were detained by security forces during protests earlier in the week. Ms Mangoush was removed from her position following news of her meeting with Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen in Rome, which the Libyan Foreign Ministry said was "unplanned". Libya does not recognise Israel and it backs the establishment of a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital. The arrests, and Friday's heavy security presence, underscore the increasingly precarious position of the GNU amid a concerted push by Libyan factions to replace it with a new administration.