Libya: violent clashes between rival militias in the west
Violent armed clashes between rival militias in western Libya, 80 kilometres outside of Tripoli, have now calmed.
Tunisie Numérique reported on January 12th that the armed clashes occurred in residential neighborhoods, concentrated along the road that connects Ajilat to the cities of Sabratha and Mellitah.
The violent clashes began on Saturday 11th January, but had quietened by January 12th, however, footage from social media has shown the continued presence of militias in the area.
Whilst the parties involved have not been formally identified, some Libyan media outlets have suggested a group linked to the “103rd Infantry Battalion” and another group linked to “Hatem Al-Fehri” were involved.
Libya has been in governmental chaos since the toppling of Muammar Gaddafi in a NATO-backed uprising in 2011. Since then, armed groups and militias have progressively taken the place of the state, fighting for control over cities and resources.
The Government of National Unity (GNU) was implemented with the intention of bringing together rival factions to form a united government.
However, elections were postponed in 2021 and, ever since, Libya has been stuck in a political deadlock, with the GNU’s legitimacy crisis undermining peace at the expense of the Libyan people.
Meanwhile, armed groups have undergone a process of “institutionalization”, according to SWP, meaning their representatives have infiltrated the top levels of the army, the security apparatus and the government.
In western Libya particularly, the consolidation of a security sector is less advanced, with multiple armed groups vying for control and bursts of violence a common occurrence.
No comments were issued by local or governmental authorities on the clashes. However, earlier this month, the military region of the western coast announced, “a military operation in the cities of the region… aiming to target “smuggling and criminal strongholds”.
The latest clashes are therefore another demonstration of the failures of the GNU and its security forces to protect the residents of western Libya, in this case Ajilat.
Tunisie Numérique, SWP
