An officer in the Zawiya Security Directorate said in a statement to Agence France-Presse, on Saturday, that “since last night, the southern regions of the city of Zawiya have witnessed clashes between armed groups,” noting that they have continued since the morning, but in an “intermittent” manner.
He added: “The clashes caused the closure of some roads and the suspension of studies in Al-Zawiya until further notice, due to the random exchange of shells between the gunmen.”
Regarding the causes of the tension, the officer said that “disagreements between members of armed groups developed into skirmishes, and mediation efforts have not yet succeeded in stopping the clashes.”
Armed men and SUVs
Activists circulated video clips on social media, the authenticity of which could not be confirmed, showing gunmen on four-wheel drive vehicles firing heavily at opposing armed groups.
The clips also showed columns of smoke rising from several residential buildings and government headquarters, as a result of being hit by random projectiles and a violent exchange of bullets and shells in various parts of the city.
For its part, the Red Crescent in the city of Zawiya announced that it was able to evacuate a number of families trapped in areas of clashes.
In a statement, the Red Crescent called on the security authorities to cooperate in helping those stranded in conflict areas.
In turn, the Ministry of Health of the Libyan government in Tripoli said that it was working to carry out “evacuations in areas of clashes and transferring infected cases to hospitals,” without providing a tally of the victims.
Zawiya city
- The coastal city of Zawiya is located 40 kilometers west of the capital, Tripoli.
- The city of Zawiya is inhabited by more than 300,000 people, and is connected by a highway to Tripoli and the Ras Jedir border crossing with Tunisia.
- A number of influential armed groups opposed to Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar are active in Al-Zawiya.
Since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi’s regime in 2011, Libya has witnessed conflicts and divisions, and its affairs are managed by two competing governments, the first in Tripoli (west), headed by Abdul Hamid Al-Dabaiba, which is recognized by the United Nations, and the second in the east, which enjoys the support of Parliament.
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