New winds of war are blowing in Libya, clashes in Tripoli
They ended with the Withdrawal from Tripoli of forces loyal to Fatih Bashagha the clashes between the troops of the Government of National Unity, recognized by the UN, and the militiamen supported by General Khalifa Haftar who tried to forcefully install Bashagha, appointed last March by the Parliament of Tobruk. The Libyan Observer reports. The Libyan Ministry of Health has released an updated toll of the fighting equal to 23 dead and 140 wounded.
The clashes also involved government forces that confronted armed groups loyal to the ‘parallel’ government of Fathi Bashagha, supported by Khalifa Haftar.
Comedian Mustafa Baraka was also killed by a stray bullet while filming some fights. The capital’s emergency service has declared a state of alarm in the offices of Tripoli and asked citizens not to go out on the street. The University has suspended lectures and exams.
On the streets of the city reigns “a precarious calm”, writes the correspondent of France Presse. The head of the Tripoli government, Abdelhamid Dbeibah, appeared in a video, surrounded by his guards, and greeted the militiamen who sided with him.
The fights are the most serious have occurred in Libya since June 2020when General Haftar tried to advance on the capital and was rejected thanks to the intervention of Turkey.
The clashes caused extensive damage, reports France Presse, which speaks of dozens of cars and buildings burned or riddled with bullets. The streets of Tripoli remained almost deserted throughout the day as columns of grayish smoke rose into the sky. Dbeibah accused Bashagha of wanting to “follow up on the threats” to take over the city. Bashagha, in turn, accused Dbeibah of “clinging to power” despite being an “illegitimate” prime minister.
Dbeibah took office with UN mediation in March 2021 as a transition premier but the failure to call the elections, scheduled for December 24th, prompted him to remain in his post.
Dbeibah has assured that he will resign as soon as a government decided by the polls is elected. Bashagha tried several times to enter Tripoli to take power but was always rejected.
The US embassy in Tripoli said it was “very worried”, while the UN mission in Libya called for “an immediate cessation of hostilities”, complaining of “clashes in civilian neighborhoods”.
In recent months, tensions have increased between armed groups loyal to one or the other of the leaders. On 22 July, the fighting left 16 people dead, including civilians, and about 50 injured.
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