It has been close to a year since Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi was ousted from power and the interim National Transitional Council (NTC) has finally handed power to a newly elected assembly.
During a late-night ceremony in Tripoli on Wednesday, the NTC chief Mustafa Abdul Jalil passed the baton to Mohammed Ali Salim, the oldest member of the legislative body.
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Crowds formed in Tripoli's Martyrs Square as the Libyan people celebrated the first peaceful transition of power in decades. Hundreds of people lit candles that symbolized reconciliation.
The celebration was also accompanied by fireworks.
The assembly’s 200 members will meet at a later date to appoint a government that will rule until new elections can be held after the drafting of a new constitution. They also decided to select a head of assembly and two deputy chiefs within the next week.
The assembly is a mixture of independent candidates and political parties.
Mr. Jalil admitted to the failures of the NTC, including the failures to restore security in the nation.
In some parts of Libya, fighting continues and militia groups still hold a significant amount of power, according to the BBC’s Rana Jawad in Tripoli.
Esam Al-Fetori / Reuters
