Libya clashes death toll rises to 32, 159 wounded

Violence erupted in Libya, leaving 32 killed and 159 wounded. UN condemns the violence and called for "an immediate cessation of hostilities"

Image courtesy: ANI

Tripoli: At least 32 people were killed and 159 injured in a clash between the Libyan forces and armed groups on Sunday. The Health Ministry said that the Sunday death toll sparked fears of a significant new conflict, reported Arab News. Armed groups had exchanged fire that damaged several hospitals and set buildings on fire starting Friday evening.

Six hospitals were hit and ambulances were unable to reach areas affected by the clashes, the ministry had said earlier, condemning "war crimes," reported Arab News. The two rival administrations vying for control of the North African country and its vast oil resources- one based in the capital, the other approved by a parliament in the country’s east- exchanged blame.

The UN’s Libya mission called for "an immediate cessation of hostilities," citing "ongoing armed clashes including indiscriminate medium and heavy shelling in civilian-populated neighbourhoods." The US ambassador to Libya, Richard Norland, said in a statement that Washington "condemns" the surge in violence, urging an "immediate cease-fire and UN-facilitated talks between the conflicting parties.

"News agency Lana said actor Mustafa Baraka had been killed in one of the neighbourhoods hit by the fighting, sparking anger and mourning on social media. The Government of National Unity (GNU) of Abdulhamid Dbeibah said fighting had broken out after negotiations to avoid bloodshed in the western city collapsed, reported Arab News.

Dbeibah’s government, installed as part of a United Nations-led peace process following a previous round of violence, is challenged by a rival government led by former interior minister Fathi Bashagha.

Bashagha, who is backed by Libya’s parliament and eastern-based military strongman Khalifa Haftar, says the GNU’s mandate has expired. But he has so far been unable to take office in Tripoli, as Dbeibah has insisted on only handing power to an elected government.

Dbeibah’s government accused Bashagha of "carrying out his threats" to seize Tripoli by force. Dbeibah’s GNU said negotiations had been underway to "hold elections at the end of the year to resolve the political crisis," but Bashagha had "walked out at the last moment."

Bashagha denied such talks had taken place and accused Dbeibah’s "illegitimate" administration of "clinging to power." Local media reported later Saturday that a group of pro-Bashagha militias that were making their way to the capital from Misrata had turned back, reported Arab News. Bashagha was appointed in February by the parliament, which was elected in 2014 and is based in the eastern city of Tobruk, but he has been unable to impose his authority in Tripoli.

Initially ruling out the use of violence, the former interior minister has since hinted that he could resort to force. Last week, he called on "Libyan men of honour" to drop their support for Dbeibah’s "obsolete and illegitimate" administration.

Last month, clashes between rival groups in Tripoli left 16 people dead, including a child. It was the deadliest violence to hit the Libyan capital since Haftar’s ill-fated attempt to seize it by force in 2019 and 2020.