Libya’s Tripoli has once again been the site of armed confrontations, with the latest incidents taking place in the Al-Fornaj district. Eyewitnesses reported hearing gunfire and spotting armed convoys patrolling the area, accentuating the ongoing security concerns in the country.
Eyewitnesses confirmed to Libyan media outlets that an armed convoy belonging to the Deterrence Forces was seen moving from 11 June Street, towards Al-Fornaj. Vehicles were turned back, and movement in the area was restricted.
The skirmishes, eyewitnesses said, were carried out with light weaponry between the Judicial Police and the 444 Brigade. An instance was also reported where the convoy for the Judiciary and the Deterrence Force passed by the Al-Fornaj police station, shooting at vehicles belonging to the intelligence agency.
Intermittently, Tripoli witnesses armed conflicts between militias, each striving to exert dominance. This power struggle is underpinned by the precarious security situation, as armed militias maintain a firm grip on the course of events, and occupy high-ranking positions in the security hierarchy.
Residential areas in Tripoli frequently find themselves in the crossfire, with the past few months witnessing several clashes involving heavy and medium weapons. In the complete absence of responsible parties, these clashes have resulted in numerous civilian casualties.
Safety in Tripoli is continuously deteriorating, with threats of kidnapping and murder a daily occurrence for residents.
Over the years, kidnappings, arrests, and assassinations have increased substantially in western Libya. This is evident in the repeated statements of the Ministry of Interior, about the arrest of gangs and individuals involved in the kidnapping and extortion of expatriate workers.
In late October, the Head of the Zaher Al-Jabal Police Station, Abdel-Salam Abdullah Abdel-Nabi, was assassinated by unknown assailants. Just days before, a policeman was assassinated in the same city. Despite this happening in full view of everyone, those at the helm of power do not move a finger to identify the perpetrators. The security authorities do not move to arrest them, or announce their names.
In October, Salah Abdel-Salam, the former Executive Director of the Civil Society Commission of the Libyan Presidential Council, was kidnapped in central Tripoli.
The National Commission for Human Rights in Libya (NCHRL) said that there are reports of security forces being involved in the kidnapping of Abdel-Salam. There has been no contact with him since the incident, and the identity of the security agency that kidnapped him has not been established. So far, his fate remains unknown.
