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| Africa North |
| Libya army intervenes in Sabha |
| 2014-01-21 |
| [MAGHAREBIA] Libya's General National Congress on Saturday (January 18th) declared a state of emergency, after fresh festivities erupted in the southern town of Sabha. At least 30 people have died since the fighting between local tribes broke out last week. Just since Friday, a 14 year-old boy was rubbed out in Kufra, gunnies kidnapped a South Korean businessman in 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... , criminal gangs and cops clashed in Janzour, two Italian construction workers went missing in Derna and three soldiers were killed near the Sarir oilfield. The situation in Sabha is particularly worrisome, however, since it may be linked to Qadaffy loyalists, according to GNC deputy Abdelkader Ahouili. On Friday, mortars struck the headquarters of the military governor, Sabha residents told Magharebia. The site is surrounded by a densely populated civilian area. The national army intervened with warplanes to stop the shelling. "The situation needs troops to support the moves of the sages and the elders," Sabha Local Council chief Ayoub Al-Zaroug told Magharebia. "If the elders and wise people are not supported with a force, then offenders and oppressors will not be deterred and truth will not prevail," he said. Drones are already a common sight in Libyan skies, where the aircraft provide information on al-Qaeda, Ansar al-Sharia ...a Salafist militia which claims it is not part of al-Qaeda, even though it works about the same and for the same ends. There are groups of the same name in Libya, Tunisia and Yemen, with the Libyan and Tunisian versions currently most active... and other threats to the region. The latest outbreak of tribal violence is yet another hurdle for military forces in the country. Local residents are demanding greater involvement by Tripoli in their city's security. "Neither the chief of staff of the Libyan army nor the defence minister came to Sabha and see the reality and nature of the situation," teacher Leila Taher complained. "If you go to a bank you may be exposed to an liquidation, as well as on the street. Most of the people stay in their homes," she told Magharebia. Engineer Maryam Hassan of the city of Sabha called on the government to remove all armed formations from the city. "We want to see the army and the police under the supervision of the state carrying the agenda of the nation and loyal to it," she said. |
| Posted by:Fred |