Latest news with #Misurata
The National
14-05-2025
- Politics
- The National
Armed clashes in Libyan capital leave six dead after reported killing of faction leader
Clashes between rival armed groups left at least six people dead in the Libyan capital of Tripoli on Monday night, with reports saying the leader of an armed faction was among those killed. 'Six bodies have been retrieved from the sites of clashes around Abu Salim,' the Emergency Medicine and Support Centre said on Tuesday morning, AFP reported. Abu Salim is a densely populated neighbourhood of south Tripoli that is home to the Support and Stability Apparatus, an armed group. Libyan television channel Al Ahrar and news site Al Wasat reported that the group's leader Abdelghani Al Kikli – known as Ghaniwa – had been killed. The reports said he was shot at a base of the rival 444 Brigade while attending a meeting for mediation between the two groups. AFP reported heavy arms fire and explosions in several areas of Tripoli overnight, while residents told Reuters that gunfire echoed around the city. Authorities urged people to stay indoors. Local media said the clashes broke out in the southern suburbs between armed groups from Tripoli and rivals from Misurata, a port city 200km east of the capital. Libya is struggling to recover from years of unrest since a 2011 uprising that led to the fall and death of dictator Muammar Qaddafi. The country is currently divided between a UN-recognised government in Tripoli and a rival administration in the east. 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. Several districts of the capital and its suburbs announced that schools would be closed on Tuesday until further notice. The Interior Ministry in Tripoli urged 'all citizens to stay at home for their safety'. Drivers were heard speeding and honking horns in the streets overnight. 'I heard heavy gunfire and I saw red lights in the sky,' one resident told Reuters. By Tuesday morning, authorities said the fighting had been brought under control. Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah 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,' he said in a post on X. Mr Dbeibah hailed the actions of security forces as a 'decisive step' in the fight against 'irregular' armed factions. The UN 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,' it added.
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
