Tripoli, Jan 5 (IANS): The east-based Libyan National Army (LNA) led by Khalifa Haftar has accused its UN-backed rival, the Government of National Accord (GNA) of trying to destabilise security in the southern part of the warn-torn country.

Local media reported that clashes erupted between forces of the UN-backed government based in capital Tripoli and a military unit of the LNA in the southern city of Sabha on Sunday, Xinhua news agency.

"The Sabha Military Zone spotted movements of subversive elements of the so-called Presidential Council (of UN-backed government)," Ahmad al-Mismari, spokesman of the east-based army, said in a statement on Monday.

"Those elements in fact received orders from the Turkish intelligence that leads operations to support the Muslim Brotherhood and Takfiri gangs," al-Mismari added.

"Information confirmed that those elements received funds from Tripoli to destabilize the security of southern Libya, especially Sabha, and recruit foreign mercenaries," the spokesman added.

Al-Mismari confirmed that the LNA in Sabha had taken over the headquarters of the GNA's forces in the city.

The UN-backed Libyan government has made no comment on the accusation yet.

Libya plunged into chaos after the fall of late leader Muammar Gaddafi's government in 2011, witnessing prolonged conflict between the LNA and the GNA.

On October 23, the Libyan delegations to the 5+5 Joint Military Commission talks in Geneva signed a UN-sponsored permanent ceasefire agreement.

In November, the Joint Military Commission agreed on terms for the ceasefire implementation in the country, including the return of forces back to their camps and the withdrawal of foreign forces from conflict lines.

The delegations also agreed to exchange all prisoners, remove landmines in cooperation with the UN teams and the General Intelligence Service, and combat hate speech.