On Saturday, the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) said it received reports of clashes in Tripoli Friday night between armed groups. This “endangered the lives of civilians, and separately of mobilization of armed groups, along with heavy weapons, from areas surrounding Tripoli.”
UNSMIL stated it was “deeply concerned” about these developments, “during an extremely sensitive period of political polarization which the United Nations (UN), international partners, and concerned Libyans are making efforts to resolve, including through the talks aimed at establishing a constitutional framework to enable the holding of national elections at the soonest possible time, whose third and final round is scheduled to resume tomorrow, Sunday June 12th, in Cairo, Egypt.”
UNSMIL called on “Libya’s political and security actors to exercise maximum restraint demonstrate responsible leadership and address all disputes, both at the local and national levels, through dialogue.”
The mission called on “all Libyans to do everything possible to preserve the country’s fragile stability at this sensitive time.”
UNSMIL commended “the efforts of all Libyan notables and stakeholders who are working to defuse current tensions and resolve the ongoing political impasse.”
The new clashes followed the pattern of the decade-long conflict between eastern and western factions. Despite the insistence of both sides that renewed “bloodshed” should be avoided, fighting has continued in some parts of Tripoli.
Heavy exchange of fire and explosions ricocheted across several districts in the capital on Friday night, causing panic among residents.
One person was reportedly killed in the fighting between the Nawasi Brigade and the Stability Support Force from western Libya.
Activists on social media circulated video clips showing families and children fleeing violent clashes with machine guns, amidst a state of chaos.
The intense fighting involved two influential militias from western Libya, local media reported.
After the oil-rich Libya has been mired by conflict and violence since the overthrow of strongman Moammar Gaddafi in 2011, political infighting to fill the power vacuum has plagued oil-rich Libya.