16 Aug 2023 at 17:25
At least 55 people have been killed in heavy shootings in the Libyan capital Tripoli in recent days. Some 146 people were injured.
Two armed groups, the 444 Brigade and the Special Deterrence Forces (SDF), clashed on Monday. Dark clouds of smoke hung over the city and shots were also heard in several places on Tuesday.
It is not known whether there were any civilian casualties. But the Ministry of Health reports that several civilians were trapped in their homes and could not escape the violence.
The unrest in Libya arose after the arrest of a commander of the influential military 444 Brigade. It is not clear why the SDF, which acts as a police force in the capital, arrested the commander. The commander has since been released.
Since the fall of leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, Libya has been in the hands of various militant groups. Two of them are the 444 Brigade and the SDF. Both are linked to the government, but rule different parts of the capital.
They clash more often, but this time it stands out. Authorities speak of “the worst violence Tripoli has seen this year”.
Image: AP
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2023-08-16 15:25:04
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