Libya: Ten killed in Tripoli clashes

Posted On 18 January 2019

Number of times this article was read : 160

Tripoli, Jan 17, 2019 (AFP) – Two days of clashes between rival militias near Libya’s capital Tripoli have left 10 people dead and 41 wounded, the health ministry said Thursday. Fighting between armed groups erupted Wednesday despite a truce deal four months ago that had halted deadly battles in the city. A medical source told AFP that fierce clashes hit an area some 50 kilometres (30 miles) south of Tripoli on Thursday, after fighting around an airport 25 kilometres from the capital the previous day.

The violence has pitted the Tripoli Protection Force, an alliance of militias from the city, against the Seventh Brigade group from the town of Tarhuna. The health ministry said that there were women and children among the wounded. Tripoli was plagued by militia clashes that killed at least 117 people and wounded more than 400 between late August and late September. The United Nations mission in Libya on Wednesday condemned a “military mobilisation” in southern Tripoli and warned groups not to break a ceasefire  agreement it brokered in September. The Seventh Brigade has maintained its positions around Tripoli since the accord was reached, a move that has angered rival militias.

Libya has been torn between rival administrations and a myriad of militias since the overthrow and killing of dictator Moamer Kadhafi in 2011. The main armed groups in Tripoli say they are loyal to the internationally backed Government of National Accord (GNA), but officials have struggled to exert real control over the fighters. The GNA announced security reforms in the wake of the bloodshed last year, aimed at curbing the power of militias in the capital.

A rival administration in the east of Libya is backed by strongman Khalifa Haftar and his self-proclaimed Libyan National Army. The UN is pushing for elections to help stabilise Libya, but chronic violence has delayed plans for the vote.

See how messy the crisis is in Libya.  Below are some of the militias operating in the area. Many others are not listed.

A number of armed groups had involved themselves in the .

Second Libyan Civil War (2014–2020)

[]
,
and allies		 and allies and allies  
, other , and allies
(Tobruk-based)
  • Benghazi Security Directorate
  • (parts)
  • (from 2016)

  • Warshefana militias

Allied armed groups:

  • Mercenaries (allegedly)

  (from )

  (limited involvement)

  ()
Supported by:

  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •   (until 2016)
  •   (until 2018)
  •   (until 2016)
  •   (until 2016)
  •  
  •  
    (allegedly, denied by LNA)
(since 2016)
  • Abu Sleem Central Security Force

Allied armed groups:

    • Lightning Bolt Brigade
    • Qaaqaa Brigade
    • Civic Brigade
  • Misrata Military Council
  • Ministry of Interior
  • Al-Bunyan al-Marsous
  • Federal
  • Mercenaries (allegedly)
  • Sabratha Military Council/Sabratha Revolutionary Brigades

(since Dec. 2019)

  • Suleyman Shah Division
  • Northern Falcons Brigade
  • Samarkand Brigade

  ()

 
(since 1 Aug. 2016)

Supported by:

  •  
  •  
  •  
      • Elements of the
  •  
    (until 2019)
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
    (until 2019)
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  []
 (Tripoli-based)
    • Western Shield
    • Central Shield
  • (parts)
  • Presidential Guard
  • National Guard[][]

Allied armed groups:

    • Awakening (unclear)
  • Brigade al-Marsah
  • Brigade Sherikhan
  • Misrata Brigades
  • Tripoli Revolutionary Brigade
  • Mercenaries (allegedly)
  • militias

Supported by:

  •   (2014–16)
  •   (2014–16)
  •   (2014–16)
  •  
  •  

High Council of Revolution (from December 2016)

  (from 2014)

  • (2014–17)
  • (2014–17)
  • (2014–17)
  • (2014–17)
  • Jaysh al-Mujahidin
  • Brega Martyrs Brigade

(2014–19)

  • (2014–19)
  • (2014–15)


(2015–16)

Allied armed groups:

    • (2014–15; alleged since)
Military situation in the Libyan Civil War as of 10 December 2016.
  Under the control of the and
  Under the control of the and
  Under the control of the
  Controlled by the Mujahedeen Councils of , and Adjabiya
  Controlled by local forces
  Controlled by forces
[]

The Tripoli brigade and Tajoura battalion are in fact currently fighting against haftar in Tripoli (April 2019)

  • The are fighting on the part of the GNA at the .
  • Parts of the are allied with the .
  • The is a part of the .
[]
[]
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