Libya asks U.N. Security Council for help protecting oil, airports

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Libya asked the U.N. Security Council on Thursday for help protecting its oil installations, oil export ports and civil airports, warning that without more international assistance the North African oil producer could become a failed state.

Libya's Foreign Minister Mohamed Abdelaziz appealed to the council "to take the case of Libya seriously before it is too late," making it clear that Libya's central government is too weak to control the militias that helped oust late ruler Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.