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Arab News
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Tripoli back to calm after bout of deadly violence
TRIPOLI: Flights resumed on Friday at Tripoli's airport as businesses and markets reopened after days of deadly fighting between armed groups in the Libyan capital. 'Last night, for the first time since Monday, residents of the capital were able to sleep without hearing explosions or gunfire,' an Interior Ministry official said. After the bout of violence that pitted armed groups aligned with the Tripoli government and rival factions it seeks to dismantle, the official said that 'we believe the situation is moving toward a ceasefire.' Tripoli was calm again, with markets, gas stations and other businesses reopening at a usual pace while many residents headed to mosques for the Friday prayer, AFP reporters said. Flights to and from Tripoli's Mitiga airport, which have been suspended since the fighting began early this week, resumed on Friday. Authorities have deployed teams to clear the streets of barricades, burned-out vehicles and rubble caused by the violence, the latest outburst in Libya, which has remained deeply divided since the 2011 revolt that toppled and killed longtime leader Muammar Qaddafi. The violence in Tripoli was sparked by the killing of Abdelghani Al-Kikli, head of the Support and Stability Apparatus faction, by the Dbeibah-aligned 444 Brigade. Flights to and from Tripoli's Mitiga airport, which have been suspended since the fighting began early this week, resumed on Friday. A second wave of clashes pitted the 444 Brigade against another group, the Radaa force, which controls parts of eastern Tripoli and several key state institutions. A string of executive orders had sought to dismantle Radaa and dissolve other Tripoli-based armed groups, excluding the 444 Brigade. The UN said on Thursday there was a 'truce' in Tripoli, calling on 'parties to take urgent steps to sustain and build upon it through dialogue.' It said that 'at least eight civilians' were killed in the clashes, 'which drew armed groups from outside the city and subjected heavily populated neighborhoods to heavy artillery fire.' The Interior Ministry source said authorities were patrolling key parts in Tripoli on Friday, as 'armed groups' vehicles' withdrew from flashpoint areas. 'It's a positive thing, and it indicates good intentions,' said the source. The UN support mission in Libya, UNSMIL, had called on Thursday 'for all armed formations to return to their barracks without delay.'
The National
14-05-2025
- Politics
- The National
Libya announces truce between rival factions as prisoners escape in Tripoli
A ceasefire came into effect across Tripoli on Wednesday after fierce clashes between rival militias, Libya 's internationally recognised government said. "Regular forces, in co-ordination with the relevant security authorities, have begun taking the necessary measures to ensure calm, including the deployment of neutral units," the Defence Ministry said. With at least one major militia group under the ministry reported to have been involved in the clashes, the statement did not elaborate on which of them it considered neutral or where they were being deployed. At least six people were killed, including a top militia leader, in the violence involving heavy weapons that began on Monday evening following the killing of the powerful militia head Abdelghani Al Kikli, also known as Gheniwa. The clashes have been centred in Tripoli's southern neighbourhood of Abu Salim. The Tripoli government said late on Tuesday that it had begun asserting control, although the fighting continued overnight into Wednesday, according to witnesses and local media reports. Violence also erupted in western areas of Tripoli that have historically been a gateway for armed factions from Zawiya, a town to the west of the capital Witnesses reported sounds of gunfire and explosions at about midnight, with heavy deployment of militia groups in several areas of the capital including Souq Al Juma and around Mitiga airport. Flights were diverted from Mitiga to Misurata airport, about 180km east along the coast from Tripoli, data compiled by tracking platforms showed. Flights have been suspended since early on Wednesday. Prisoners managed to escape from Al Jadida prison in Tripoli, including some who were jailed for serious crimes, police said. Intense fighting near the prison caused panic and fear among the inmates, the authorities added. The Tripoli Red Crescent Society declared a state of emergency and raised the alert level to maximum in the city on Tuesday night. The agency urged citizens to be cautious and to follow instructions issued by relevant authorities, it said in a post on social media. The Chairman of Libya's Presidential Council, Mohamed Al Menfi, said that maintaining peace in the capital was a collective responsibility that 'cannot be neglected' and that state institutions must remain above political tensions. Mr Al Menfi said in a meeting with top Libyan officials that 'the current situation requires a unified internal front and a national project that avoid chaos'. The UN mission in Libya on Tuesday urged all parties to 'immediately cease fighting and restore calm', reminding them of their obligation to protect civilians. 'Attacks on civilians and civilian objects may amount to war crimes,' it said. Libya is struggling to recover from years of unrest since a 2011 uprising that led to the overthrow and killing of longtime leader Muammar Qaddafi. Control of the North African country is disputed between the UN-recognised government in Tripoli, led by Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, and a rival administration in the east, aligned with Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar. Despite relative calm in recent years, clashes periodically break out between armed groups vying for territory. In August 2023, 55 people were killed in fighting between two factions in Tripoli.
The National
14-05-2025
- Politics
- The National
Deadly fighting reported and prisoners escape in Tripoli
Fighting raged in Libya's capital Tripoli between rival militia groups and government forces overnight into Wednesday, local media reported. At least six people have been killed, including a top militia leader, in the violence involving heavy weapons that began on Monday evening. The clashes have been centred in Tripoli's southern neighbourhood of Abu Salim. Libya 's UN-recognised government, based in the west of the country, said late on Tuesday that it had begun asserting control following the killing of the powerful militia head Abdelghani Al Kikli, also known as Gheniwa. But witnesses reported sounds of gunfire and explosions at about midnight on Tuesday, with heavy deployment of militia groups in several areas of the capital including Souq Al Juma and around Mitiga airport. Flights were diverted from Mitiga to Misurata airport, data compiled by tracking platforms showed. Prisoners managed to escape from Al Jadida prison in Tripoli, including some who were jailed for serious crimes, police said. Intense fighting near the prison caused panic and fear among the inmates, the authorities added. The Tripoli Red Crescent Society declared a state of emergency and raised the alert level to maximum in the city on Tuesday night. The agency urged citizens to be cautious and to follow instructions issued by relevant authorities, it said in a post on social media. The Chairman of Libya's Presidential Council, Mohamed Al Menfi, said that maintaining peace in the capital was a collective responsibility that 'cannot be neglected' and that state institutions must remain above political tensions. Mr Al Menfi said in a meeting with top Libyan officials that 'the current situation requires a unified internal front and a national project that avoid chaos'. The UN mission in Libya on Tuesday urged all parties to 'immediately cease fighting and restore calm', reminding them of their obligation to protect civilians. 'Attacks on civilians and civilian objects may amount to war crimes,' it said. Libya is struggling to recover from years of unrest since a 2011 uprising that led to the overthrow and killing of longtime leader Muammar Qaddafi. Control of the North African country is disputed between the UN-recognised government in Tripoli, led by Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, and a rival administration in the east, aligned with Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar. Despite relative calm in recent years, clashes periodically break out between armed groups vying for territory. In August 2023, 55 people were killed in fighting between two factions in Tripoli. Updated: May 14, 2025, 7:11 AM
Al Jazeera
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Libya's prime minister asserts control after deadly Tripoli violence
A day after deadly clashes shook Tripoli, Libya's United Nations-recognised government in the west of the country has begun asserting control following the reported killing of powerful militia leader Abdelghani al-Kikli, also known as Gheniwa. The Emergency Medicine and Support Centre confirmed it retrieved six bodies from the Tripoli neighbourhood of Abu Salim on Tuesday, after heavy fighting erupted across the capital the previous night and into the early morning. Explosions and gunfire echoed through the southern part of the city as rival armed factions clashed for several hours. The fighting stemmed from the killing of al-Kikli, commander of the Stability Support Authority, SSA, on Monday by a rival militia, a senior government and health official told the Associated Press news agency. An official and local media say al-Kikli was killed during a meeting at the 444 Brigade's base, a group loyal to Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah. Al-Kikli had been accused by Amnesty International of war crimes and other serious rights violations over the past decade. Libya analyst Jalel Harchaoui told the AFP news agency that al-Kikli had been ambushed, citing a relative. 'Among Tripoli's most successful armed group leaders,' he was known for outmanoeuvring the prime minister, the analyst added. On Tuesday, Dbeibah declared a military operation had dismantled 'irregular' armed groups. The move is seen as a direct effort to reassert state authority and strengthen his position in the capital. 'Gheniwa was de facto king of Tripoli,' Tarek Megerisi of the European Council on Foreign Relations told Reuters. 'His henchmen controlled the internal security agency … cash transfers from the central bank… numerous public companies and ministries'. Al-Kikli's forces reportedly operated prisons and held influence over ministries and financial institutions, underscoring a significant shift in the balance of power with his death. Clashes also spread beyond the capital, with fighting between Tripoli-based groups and rival militias from Misrata, a key coastal city to the east. Authorities imposed a temporary curfew before later announcing that calm had returned. Libya, a major oil producer and key route for immigrants and refugees crossing the Mediterranean, remains deeply divided between Dbeibah's UN-recognised administration in the west and a rival eastern government aligned with military commander Khalifa Haftar. Foreign powers including Turkiye, Russia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates continue to back opposing sides in the ongoing power struggle. Dbeibah said a 'military operation' had restored calm and asserted the government's authority. 'What was accomplished today shows that official institutions are capable of protecting the homeland and preserving the dignity of its citizens,' he wrote on X, praising the armed forces' role. Schools across parts of the capital have been closed until further notice. The UN mission in Libya expressed alarm over the use of heavy weapons in densely populated areas, warning that 'attacks on civilians and civilian objects may amount to war crimes' and calling on all sides to 'immediately cease fighting'. Libya plunged into chaos following a NATO-backed uprising that toppled and killed Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. The oil-rich nation has been governed for most of the past decade by rival governments in eastern and western Libya, each backed by an array of fighter groups and foreign governments.
Al Arabiya
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Libya armed group leader among dead in Tripoli clashes: Media
Overnight clashes in Libya's capital killed at least six people, an emergency medical service said Tuesday, with local media reporting that an armed group leader was among the dead. Heavy arms fire and explosions were heard in several areas of Tripoli from 9:00 pm (1900 GMT) on Monday as violent clashes between rival armed groups rocked the capital. 'Six bodies have been retrieved from the sites of clashes around Abu Salim' in Tripoli, the Emergency Medicine and Support Centre said. Reports said Abdelghani al-Kikli, leader of the Support and Stability Apparatus (SSA) which controls the southern district of Abu Salim, was killed, with unverified images of his body circulating on social media. The reports said he was shot at a base of the rival 444 Brigade while attending a meeting for mediation. Libya expert Jalel Harchaoui said on social media that Kikli was likely ambushed at the base, citing a relative of the SSA leader. Harchaoui described Kikli as among Tripoli's 'most successful armed group leaders', with an 'ability to outmaneuver Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah'. The 444 Brigade, which controls other parts of southern Tripoli, is aligned with Dbeibah. Libya is struggling to recover from years of unrest following the NATO-backed 2011 uprising that led to the overthrow and killing of Libyan President Muammar Gaddafi The North African country is currently divided between UN-recognized government in Tripoli led by Dbeibah and a rival administration in the east, controlled by the Haftar family. Local media said clashes also broke out in the southern suburbs between armed groups from Tripoli and rivals from Misrata, a major port city 200 kilometers (125 miles) east of the capital. Authorities had urged residents to stay indoors before saying several hours later that the fighting had been under control. The Tripoli-based government on Tuesday said a 'military operation' to restore 'security and stability' in the capital had been successful. Dbeibah, in a post on social media platform X, thanked government forces 'for restoring security and asserting the state's authority in the capital'. 'What was accomplished today shows that official institutions are capable of protecting the homeland and preserving the dignity of its citizens,' Dbeibah said. He hailed the security forces' actions as 'a decisive step' in the fight against 'irregular' armed factions. Despite relative calm in recent years, clashes periodically break out between armed groups vying for territory. In August 2023, fighting between two powerful armed groups in Tripoli left 55 dead. Authorities in several parts of the capital said schools would be closed on Tuesday until further notice. The United Nations Support Mission in Libya called for calm. 'UNSMIL is alarmed by the unfolding security situation in Tripoli, with intense fighting with heavy weaponry in densely populated civilian areas,' it said on X. It urged 'all parties to immediately cease fighting', warning that 'attacks on civilians and civilian objects may amount to war crimes.' 'UNSMIL fully supports the efforts of elders and community leaders to de-escalate the situation.'
