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Proposals to form a joint Arab military force look to be in trouble. Egypt called for the plan earlier this year, in response to ISIL’s growing influence in Libya. But it’s struggling to win consensus among its Arab counterparts.

Arab defence ministers were supposed to meet in Cairo in late August to finalise the plan but at the last minute, Saudi Arabia pushed for an indefinite delay. Officials aren’t saying why but sources claim Egypt and Saudi Arabia don’t agree where command of the force should reside.