Is Libya's unity government doomed to fail?

The prime minister of Libya’s UN-backed unity government on Thursday said the new governing body will move from Tunis to Tripoli, Libya’s capital, “within a few days.” But disapproval of the new leadership among Libya’s warring factions raises concerns the unity government, seen as the sole hope for resolving the country’s conflict, may fuel more chaos in Libya and its neighbors.

The Government of National Accord, led by Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj, emerged to end the political crisis that began in Libya after the ouster of Muammar Gaddafi five years ago. Since 2014, Libya has remained under the rule of two rival governments in Tripoli and Tobruk, which the unity government aims to replace.

But the Islamist-dominated government in Tripoli said this week it will not allow the unity government into the capital, claiming it was “imposed from outside.”

“We say it has no place among us,” Khalifa Ghweil, the rival government’s prime minister said in a written statement.

In the east, the internationally recognized Tobruk government has not formally approved the UN deal, as its members remain fragmented over the unity government.

As indecision thrives, Libya’s crisis worsens. Martin Kobler, the UN envoy to Libya, warned about the expansion of Islamic State (ISIS or Daesh) in the country and criticized the Tobruk government for not approving the joint governing body.

“The situation in Libya is urgent,” Kobler said. “Daesh doesn’t discuss agreements … they just take territory everyday and they expand if nothing is done.”

The United States and Europe declared support for the unity government as part of the fight against Islamic State. But the success of the new administration remains a gamble, despite being considered the only solution for peace.

“There is no other way,” said Karim Mezran, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council. “If the government doesn’t go to Tripoli, then we have to face the fact that the country is going to remain spilt into two parts. If the government goes to Tripoli, it can either go well and begin to work, or it can collapse immediately into civil war.”

The ongoing crisis also has an increasingly negative impact on neighboring countries. Tunisia, which shares a border with Libya, continues to battle with smuggling and terrorists coming across the Libyan border. On March 7, Tunisian forces clashed with militants from Libya, leaving more than 45 dead. Southern Niger and Chad also remain destabilized due to smuggling and trafficking from Libya, while Algeria also faces a possible threat from the country, Mezran added.

“Libya, the way it is, is a disaster for the whole area,” he said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.