Eastern Libyans declare semi-autonomy

A band of tribal elders and militia leaders in Libya declared the country's oil-rich east a semi-autonomous federal region, defying the central government and raising concerns about a possible break-up of the country.

Hundreds of Libyans gathering near the eastern city of Benghazi formally laid out a proposal for the establishment of the federal region of Cyrenaica, the name of one of three Roman provinces that eventually became modern Libya.

The gathering declared Ahmad al-Zubair al-Senussi, a member of Libya's governing National Transitional Council and the great-nephew of the country's last king, head of a governing council of a region that encompasses all of Libya from the Gulf of Sirte to the Egyptian border.
FT