Libyans go to the polls on Wednesday for a general election seen as crucial for the future of a country hit by months of political chaos and growing unrest.

Jihadists and other militias who helped topple dictator Moammar Gadhafi in the NATO-backed uprising of 2011 have been blamed for violence that has continued unabated since the end of the revolt.

Almost 3.5 million Libyans are eligible to vote but only 1.5 million have registered, a far cry from the more than 2.7 million who registered two years ago.

Voters will choose from among 1,628 candidates, with 32 seats in the 200-strong GNC reserved for women and would-be MPs banned from belonging to any political party.

A Western diplomat warned against electoral fraud and said the next challenge would be if Libyans rally around the vote.

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