Avast ye mateys! Fierce battles 'mongst rival militias in Tripoli be makin' guards more alert, leavin' many scurvy dogs injured.
2023-08-16
Arr, me hearties! Libyan buccaneers be sailin' the streets o' Tripoli, aye, after a grand skirmish betwixt rival crews sent at least 27 scallywags to Davy Jones' locker.
Libyan security forces were out in full force in Tripoli following clashes between rival militias that resulted in the deaths of at least 27 people. The fighting, which erupted on Monday, was some of the most intense seen in the capital this year. Over 100 people were also wounded in the violence. The clashes began after a senior commander of the 444 brigade was reportedly detained by the rival Special Deterrence Force at an airport in Tripoli. The commander was later released as part of a deal to quell the violence. The extent of the casualties and whether they were militiamen or civilians remains unclear. The Interior Ministry deployed security forces to the areas most affected by the fighting and set up a situation room to monitor developments. By Wednesday, a tentative calm had returned to the city. The violence serves as a reminder of the fragile state of war-torn Libya, which has been divided between rival administrations since 2014. Tripoli has experienced similar episodes of violence in recent years, although most have only lasted a few hours. The presence of militias, which grew in wealth and power following the 2011 uprising, continues to pose a challenge to the country's stability. Efforts to promote security sector reform and militia disarmament have made little progress, according to experts. The 444 brigade and the Special Deterrence Force are among the largest militias operating in Tripoli and have previously received backing from the local administration.