Libya’s Tripoli sees violent clashes, leader of armed group killed

Violent clashes between rival armed groups rocked the Libyan capital Tripoli on Monday night, with media reporting that the leader of an armed faction was killed.

AFP reporters heard heavy arms fire and explosions in several areas of the capital from 9:00 pm (1900 GMT) and authorities urged residents to stay indoors.

Libyan television channel Al-Ahrar and news site Al-Wasat reported the death of Abdelghani al-Kikli, leader of the Support and Stability Apparatus, an influential armed group based in south Tripoli.

The interior ministry of the national unity government in Tripoli urged in a statement "all citizens to stay at home for their safety".

Local media said clashes broke out in the southern suburbs between armed groups from Tripoli and rivals from Misrata, a major port city 200 km (125 miles) east of the capital.

Libya is struggling to recover from years of unrest following a 2011 revolt that led to the fall of the late dictator Moamer Kadhafi.

It is currently divided between a UN-recognised government in Tripoli and a rival administration in the east, controlled by the Haftar family.

Despite relative calm in recent years, clashes periodically break out between armed groups vying for territory.

In August 2023, fighting between two powerful armed groups in Tripoli left 55 dead.

Several districts of the capital and its suburbs announced that schools would be closed on Tuesday until further notice.

The United Nations Support Mission in Libya called for calm.

"UNSMIL is alarmed by the unfolding security situation in Tripoli, with intense fighting with heavy weaponry in densely populated civilian areas," it said on X.

It urged "all parties to immediately cease fighting", warning that "attacks on civilians and civilian objects may amount to war crimes."

"UNSMIL fully supports the efforts of elders and community leaders to de-escalate the situation."

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by HOOK Desk and is published from a syndicated feed AFP.)