Libya is forming a new national army

Libya is in the process of reforming its national army in hopes of ultimately demobilizing the guerilla forces that joined together in toppling Muammar Qaddafi.

It has been several months since the main forces of the 20,000-strong army began training.

Officers at a base near the capital, Tripoli, said their main focus was honing discipline, with recruits obliged to spend hours on a daily basis practicing their marching.

One of the most recent recruits is a 21-year-old university student by the name of Ayman al-Faitouri. He was issued his uniform on Saturday after passing his interview and background check.

At the Tripoli base, Qaddafi loyalists still report for duty and are paid their wages; however, the new army need to be assured that they can trust them before they’re reinstated.

Army spokesman Ahmed Omar Bani stressed that a structure for the army has been established, despite not discussing further details. They await the appointment of a new army chief.

The creation of a national army is seen by analysts as a necessary step in safeguarding Libya from further outbreaks of power clashes between various parties involved in the uprising against the former regime.