Five years since Gaddafi's killing Libya still soaked in blood

BELGRADE - Five years ago, strongman Muammar Gaddafi, who had balanced Libyan factions to preserve stability, was hunted down and brutally killed by NATO-backed rebels, but ousting him has resulted in chaos and perpetual bloodshed rather than freedom and prosperity.

These days are busy for Libya. In the capital, Tripoli, a militant faction defied the UN-supported Government of National Unity (GNA) last Friday by declaring its own government. They have since seized a parliamentary building and exchanged sporadic gunfire with loyalist forces.

The GNA has no proper army of its own, so Tripoli is a patchwork of rival armed groups. Some back government officials, while others are linked to Islamist groups or militias in other cities. The situation is a reflection of Libya in general, where local warlords and tribal militias determine the daily lives of people with little...