Militia infighting kills at least 9 in Libya’s capital, officials say
The Hindu
Recent clashes in Tripoli highlight the ongoing violence between rival militias in Libya, raising concerns of a potential new war.
“Clashes between two heavily armed militia groups in Libya’s capital terrorised residents and killed about a dozen people, the latest bout of violence in the largely lawless North African nation,” officials said Saturday (August 10, 2024).
“The hours-long clashes, which involved heavy weapons, occurred Friday (August 9, 2024) in Tripoli’s eastern neighbourhood of Tajoura between Rahba al-Duruae militia, which is led by warlord Bashir Khalfallah – known as al-Baqrah – and another militia al-Shahida Sabriya,” the officials added.
The Health Ministry’s Ambulance and Emergency Services said at least 9 people were killed and 16 others were wounded in the hours-long clashes.
The clashes stemmed from an attempted assassination of al-Baqrah on Friday (August 9, 2024), which his militia blamed on al-Shahida Sabriya, according to local media reports.
Khaled al-Meshry, the newly elected head of the west-based High Council of State, condemned the assassination attempt and called for an investigation to hold those responsible accountable.
The warring parties are allied with Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah’s government. Its spokesman didn’t respond to a request for comment.
The violence underscored the fragility of war-torn Libya following the 2011 uprising-turned-civil war, which toppled and later killed longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi. Amid the chaos, militias grew in wealth and power, particularly in Tripoli and the western part of the country.
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