Dozens of young demonstrators from the Souq Al-Jumaa and Al-Zawiya districts took to Martyrs’ Square in Tripoli, calling for the overthrow of the interim Government of National Unity (GNU), led by Prime Minister Abdel-Hamid Dbaiba, amid growing public anger over the capital’s deteriorating security situation.
For the second consecutive day, protesters chanted slogans demanding Dbaiba’s resignation. The latest rally follows Wednesday night demonstrations in various parts of Tripoli, sparked by the deadly violence that has shaken the city this week.
The UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) expressed deep concern over reports of live ammunition being used against demonstrators who took to the streets the previous night.
Tensions in Tripoli escalated dramatically on Monday after the killing of Abdelghani Al-Kikli, widely known as “Ghneiwa”, former commander of the now-defunct Stability Support Apparatus. His death triggered fierce armed clashes in the Abu Salim district.
On Wednesday, violent confrontations erupted between the 444 Brigade and the Deterrence Apparatus after Prime Minister Dbaiba announced the dissolution of the Deterrence force, leading to further casualties and material destruction. A temporary ceasefire was later declared by the GNU’s Ministry of Defence and the Presidential Council, bringing a relative calm back to the capital.
In a televised statement, Dbaiba defended the operation in Abu Salim as a “necessary step to dismantle an entity that had long operated outside the law and was linked to serious human rights violations.” He added that building state institutions and ending organized crime after more than a decade of chaos would not be easy.
Dbaiba further stated that the military incidents that followed the conclusion of the security operation were regrettable and unrelated to the mission’s objectives, but were handled by the competent authorities with “a high degree of responsibility” to preserve stability in Tripoli.
