32 dead in Libya after two rival militias clash in Tripoli

Africa, Middle East, News August 29, 2022 , by IRIA No Comments

At least 32 people died and more than 159 people were reported injured in Libya as the violent clashes between two armed rival groups escalated in the country’s capital Tripoli.

The deadly clashes between the rival government groups broke out at late night on August 24 resulting in the oil-rich North African nation. Clouds of smoke were seen all around the city. The situation has been escalating since then.

The health ministry of Libya initially reported that 23 people have died and 87 were injured during the clashes, however, the number of deaths rose to 32 on August 28, and 159 were reported injured.

Libya is currently being controlled by two rival political groups who are running their parallel governments. The eastern part of the country is being controlled by Prime Minister Fathi Bashagha, whose government is based in Tobruk and it is backed by the Libyan military strongman Khalifa Haftar.

The western parts of Libya are under the control of the outgoing Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah, who is holding the office and controlling the country’s capital. Dbeibah’s government is recognized by the United Nations as the legitimate government of Libya. Southern parts of Libya are being controlled by several rebel groups.

Armed fighters loyal to the Prime Minister Fathi Bashagha engaged in clashes with the rival group to take charge of Tripoli. The tensions between the two groups simmered since Bashagha was appointed as the country’s Prime Minister in February 2022 by Libya’s east-based parliament of Tobruk. The UN-backed government of Dbeibah claims that they still hold the control of country’s capital after the worst armed clashes in two years.

Dbeibah’s Government of National Unity (GNU) was appointed by the United Nations as part of the UN-led process to maintain stability following the previous round of deadly clashes in Tripoli.

Bashagha’s attempt on August 26 to take over in Tripoli was his second such attempt since May. The group has been trying to seize control of the country’s capital in order to expand the government but so far has not been able to take charge of the Prime Minister’s office in Tripoli. Bashagha claims that GNU and Dbeibah’s mandate to rule Libya has now expired and that his eastern-based government is the one and only legitimate government of Libya.

*^{Libya Conflict Map. (Image Credit: Al Jazeera, Rendering by IRIA)}*

The municipal council of Tripoli blamed the ruling political class for the deteriorating situation in the capital, and urged the international community to “protect civilians in Libya”. the country has seen little peace since 2011 when the NATO-backed uprising that overthrew Muammar Gaddafi. After Gaddafi’s death, the country split into eastern and western factions fighting for regional and national power.

The United States’s ambassador to Libya, Richard Norland also condemned the surge in violence and urged for an “immediate ceasefire and UN-facilitated talks between the conflicting parties”.