Libya’s Capital Facing Worst Clashes In Years

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News

TRIPOLI (Worthy News) – The United Nations has called for calm after the worst fighting in Libya’s capital, Tripoli, in years.

It was not immediately clear how many casualties there were.

However, the U.B. Mission to Libya (UNSMIL) warned Wednesday that the situation in the country could “spiral out of control,” although a tense pause in clashes emerged.

“UNSMIL reiterates its calls for an immediate, unconditional ceasefire in all areas, allowing safe corridors for the evacuation of civilians trapped in intense conflict zones,” the mission wrote on social media platform X.

Clashes broke out late on Monday after the killing of a prominent militia leader, said witnesses who could not yet give an estimation of the number of casualties.

After calming on Tuesday morning, the fighting reignited overnight, with major battles rocking districts across the city, reporters noticed.

URBAN WARFARE

Clashes reportedly erupted between the Rada militia and the 444 Brigade, loyal to Prime Minister Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah, in key areas of Tripoli, including the port.

An official called the ongoing fighting “urban warfare,” with intermittent clashes in residential areas and the use of light and medium weapons.

The latest resumption of fighting underscored concerns about the North African nation’s lack of stability.

Libya has suffered instability since a 2011 NATO military alliance-backed uprising to oust longtime autocrat Muammar Gaddafi, according to observers.

The country split in 2014 between rival eastern and western factions, though an outbreak of major warfare paused with a truce in 2020.

It was not clear how the latest clashes would impact Libya, a significant energy exporter but also an essential hub for migrants heading to Europe.

FOREIGN POWERS

Additionally, its conflict has drawn in foreign powers, including Turkey, Russia, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates.

Its primary oil facilities are located in southern and eastern Libya, far from the current fighting in Tripoli. Engineers at several oil fields and export terminals told Reuters news agency that the clashes had unaffected output.

However, Sirte Oil Company – a subsidiary of the National Oil Corp (NOC) – said it “was suspending land transport to the west, including Tripoli, until stability was restored.”

Back in Tripoli, residents said they were hiding, hoping peace would reemerge in the volatile nation.

UNSMIL condemned the reported “Attacking and damaging” of “civilian infrastructure, physically harming civilians, and jeopardising the lives and safety of the population may constitute crimes under international law.”

It warned, “Those responsible will be held accountable for their actions.”

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