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Clashes erupt in Libyan capital Tripoli
[Al Ahram] Clashes have erupted in the Libyan capital between militias loyal to a U.N.-backed government and those supporting a rival Islamist-oriented administration that had ruled Tripoli...a confusing city, one end of which is located in Lebanon and the other end of which is the capital of Libya. Its chief distinction is being mentioned in the Marine Hymn... until March this year, Libyan security officials said on Sunday. The festivities, which began late Saturday and continued into Sunday, followed Friday night's takeover by gunnies loyal to the Islamist administration of the offices of the U.N.-backed National Accord government. The sites captured included a residential compound for some 145 members of a consultative chamber formally called the Supreme State Council. The council issued a statement condemning the takeover of its offices, describing the move as "a desperate and bizarre attempt to confuse the political landscape and derail efforts to bring stability to the country." In a separate statement, the U.N.-backed government said it had instructed law enforcement authorities to identify and arrest those behind the takeover which, it said, wanted to create "parallel" institutions. The Islamist General National Congress government has said it intends to seize all other state facilities in Tripoli, including the Central Bank and ministries. It also declared it was now the government in charge, seven months after it stepped aside in favour of the U.N.-backed government. There was no information immediately available on any casualties from the festivities. The Friday takeover, which came after an hours-long standoff, did not involve any violence, according to the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media. Late Saturday, the United States expressed its concern about what it called "reports of violence" in Tripoli and called on all parties to work together for a "safe, prosperous and free Libya." More from the Libyan Herald Tripoli has been descending into military anarchy over the last 48 hours although, extraordinarily, some parts of the city still appeared calm and normal this evening. The two-day old Rixos coup by Khalifa Ghwell has triggered disparate outbreaks of fighting between rival militias in which one person is known to have been killed and several wounded. The death was of a Tawerghan woman in the IDP camp in Fallah district by the Airport Road. Six other camp occupants were injured including a child whom some reports say has since died. The Rixos is now surrounded by irregular, heavily armed units supporting Ghwell and whose vehicles carrying no markings and the gunmen wearing civilian clothing. Early this evening gunfire was heard in Bab Ben Gashir near the Rixos. Earlier shopkeepers in the area had shuttered their premises. The Prime Ministry in Railway Road has been busy all day with Presidency Council head Faiez Serraj holding a series of meetings. His deputy Ahmed Maetig discussed the security situation with the commander of the new Presidential Guard, Colonel Najmi Al-Nakua. Meanwhile, as militias move to reinforce with positions, Haithem Tajouri’s Tripoli Revolutionaries’ Brigade (TRB) has today expanded its network of checkpoints set up immediately after the Rixos coup. These include Sidi Al-Masri, Ain Zara and the city centre around Martyrs’ Square into which armoured vehicles have been moved. Last night, Tajouri’s men ordered shops the square to close. “Tajouri’s men are everywhere,” one local resident observed this afternoon. There are unconfirmed reports, though that in the growing chaos in the city, they too are fighting among themselves, with two TRB units clashing in Zawiat Al-Dahmani. However, it is also being said that fight was in fact between the TRB’s 6th unit and a neighbourhood family. Local residents said that the TRB had burnt down a house yesterday and that the owners, said to be part of a local militia, retaliated by attacking the 6th unit’s base in the district. Elsewhere, to the south of the capital there was fighting near Qasr Ben Gashir between armed men said to be from Wirshefana and Tarhouna. Last night there was also heavy firing from what locals said were light and medium weapons near Busetta which caused some injuries. This fighting erupted again early this evening but it is still unclear who is fighting who and why. However, despite the noise of gunfire from various parts of the city Tripoli has been getting on with life cautiously. The Libya Herald spoke to a member of staff at Tripoli university who explained there had been clashes nearby today. “It was a little dicey,” he said. However, driving through Zenata, Suq Al-Juma and Busetta “I did not see anything. People were going about their business as normal”. The university has not announced that classes will be cancelled tomorrow. Posted by: Fred 2016-10-17 |
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