Libya was on the brink of all-out civil war on Thursday after the renegade general Khalifa Haftar defied the United Nations to order his forces to march on Tripoli and overthrow the country’s internationally recognised government.

In an audio address to his self-styled Libyan National Army on Thursday evening, General Haftar ordered a "victorious march" on the capital to "shake the lands under the feet of the unjust bunch."

"Tripoli, we hear your call," he said in the address. "Whoever raises the white flag is safe."

Fayez al-Serraj, the prime minister of the Tripoli-based government of national accord, had earlier ordered forces mobilised and authorised airstrikes if necessary to halt any assault on the capital.

The powerful group of militias who control the Western city of Misrata said they were ready to fight Gen Haftar’s forces and backed Mr Serraj.

Gen Haftar’s attempt to end Libya’s long-simmering internal conflict by force came just hours after Antonio Guterres, the United Nations secretary general, arrived in Tripoli for talks with Mr Serraj ahead of a national reconciliation conference planned for the middle of this month.