Head of the Libyan Presidential Council Mohamed al-Menfi and Prime Minister of the Government of National Unity Abdul-Hamed Dbeibah on Sunday stressed that unifying the military institution is a key cornerstone for consolidating Libya's security, stability and sovereignty.

In a speech marking the 86th anniversary of the establishment of the nucleus of the Libyan Army, observed annually on August 9, al-Menfi stressed the continuation of efforts aimed at unifying the military institution.

Despite the challenges facing Libya, the country is moving forward with efforts to complete all steps toward unifying the military institution and strengthening its national structure, al-Menfi said.

He added that the military should operate "under unified civilian leadership" to protect the country, safeguard its security and stability, and preserve its sovereignty and resources, "away from political disputes and divisions."

For his part, Dbeibah said in a statement published on his official Facebook page that "a unified national army remains one of the pillars of the state and one of the most important guarantees of its security, stability and sovereignty."

"There can be no fully-fledged state amid multiple armed forces or weapons operating outside state institutions," he said, stressing that unifying the military institution, consolidating its professionalism, and placing weapons under the authority of the state and the law "remain among the priorities of the state-building project that Libyans aspire to."

Libya on Sunday marked the 86th anniversary of the establishment of the nucleus of its army, one of the first building blocks in the development of its military institution.

The country has experienced a prolonged military division between forces aligned with the country's eastern and western factions. Since the 2011 fall of longtime leader Muammar Gaddafi, the country has been divided between the Tripoli-based Government of National Unity and the eastern administration, which is backed by the eastern-based Libyan National Army.