The Chairman of the Internal Affairs Committee of the Libyan Parliament, MP Suleiman Al-Harari called for an urgent investigation into the armed clashes in Tripoli.
Al-Harari stressed that “criminal acts that endanger the lives of the city’s residents should not be tolerated, and that the maximum penalties should be imposed against those who destabilize the city’s security.”
He renewed his call for calm, and the preservation of public security, affirming that “all differences must be resolved through dialogue.”
The MP expressed his strong condemnation of the dangerous security escalation in Tripoli. He added that the “fighting in the capital’s streets poses a threat to the lives of civilians, public and private properties, and civil institutions.”
Al-Harari offered his sincere condolences to the families of the victims, expressing his wishes for a speedy recovery for the wounded.
On Sunday, the Health Ministry of the outgoing Government of National (GNU) said the death toll has risen to 32 deaths and 159 injuries, after deadly clashes erupted in Tripoli.
Notably, fighting broke out in various districts of Tripoli between groups armed with both heavy and light weapons. Libya’s two rival governments yet again vie for power in the oil-rich, but impoverished North African country.
The Tripoli Revolutionaries Brigade (TRB) affiliated with the commander Haitham Al-Tajouri clashed with the Stabilization Support Apparatus (SSA) affiliated with Abdel-Ghani Al-Kikli (Ghnewa).
Gunshots and explosions rang through the darkened streets of Tripoli, according to media reports.
The Coastal Road linking the cities of Al-Khoms and Zliten was closed. This was in anticipation of the movement of forces from Misrata towards Tripoli.
The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) expressed its concern over the deadly clashes.
“The United Nations in Libya is deeply concerned about ongoing armed clashes including indiscriminate medium and heavy shelling in civilian-populated neighbourhoods in Tripoli, reportedly causing civilian casualties and damage to civilian facilities including hospitals,” it said in a statement.
UNSMIL called for an immediate cessation of hostilities, and reminds all parties of their obligations under international human rights and humanitarian law to protect civilians and civilian objects.