TRIPOLI- The head of Libya's Government of National Unity Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah and several other top officials in his administration including security chiefs are heading to Algeria for an official visit, the GNU said on Monday.

The visit marks a rare departure from Tripoli for Dbeibah since Libya's eastern-based parliament appointed a rival prime minister, a move he has rejected amid an armed standoff between rival factions for control over the government.

(Reporting by Ahmed Elumami, writing by Angus McDowall; Editing by Toby Chopra)