At least 32 people have been killed and around 160 others injured in renewed fighting in Libya. The Ministry of Health announced on Sunday. Since Friday there have been fights in the capital Tripoli between militias allied with the two governments struggling for power. Videos showed damaged cars and buildings.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed his deep concern. He called on the parties to the conflict to end the violence immediately and engage in “real dialogue”. The United Nations remains ready to act as a mediator to help the Libyans find a “way out of the political impasse,” Guterres said through his spokesman.
The situation calmed down on Sunday. Road closures were lifted, and Libyan media also showed pictures of the clean-up work.
In Libya, Prime Minister Abdulhamid al Dbeibah, who resides in Tripoli, and Fathi Baschagha, who has been appointed head of government by parliament, are fighting for power. According to an eyewitness, a convoy of 300 vehicles, attributed to supporters of Baschagha, based in the east, rolled towards Tripoli. The outbreak of violence fuels fears that the oil-rich North African country could slide back into civil war after a period of relative calm.
According to eyewitnesses, shots rang out for hours in Tripoli, and there were repeated explosions. Plumes of smoke could be seen over the city. According to the government in the capital, several hospitals were hit. According to observers, the trigger for the fighting was that one of the factions fighting for influence in the country attacked a base of a rival group.
Elections were originally scheduled for last December as part of the UN-supervised peace process. However, the rival factions fell out over the election rules, so far there has not been a vote.
