Cairo - Officials said the clash between armed militia armed militia shocked the capital of Libya and the explosion was heard throughout the city after shooting and killing a powerful warlord. They said at least six people were killed.
Officials said the prolonged conflict involving heavy weapons occurred Monday night to the early hours of Tuesday and centered on the Abu Salim community in southern Tripoli.
A senior government and health official said the fight stemmed from the killing of commander Abdel-Ghani Al-Kikli, SSA stable support authority, by a rival militia on Monday.
The SSA is an umbrella of a militia that rises up to become one of the most powerful groups in western West Libya, with a history of atrocities and rights violations in the country’s long-standing conflict. Over the past decade, Amnesty International has been guilty of Amnesty International's crimes and other serious violations of rights, and Al-Kikli, known as "Gheniwa", has been called "Gheniwa".
Al-Kikli was killed in a facility run by the 444th Brigade, a militia commanded by Mahmoud Hamza, a warlord close to Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah.
Officials said Hamza's militia and their allies then attacked the capital's SSA office, seized their assets and detained dozens of SSA combatants.
At least six people were killed near the SSA stronghold Abu Salim, the Ministry of Health’s Ambulance and Emergency Services said in a statement. It has helped evacuate many families trapped in the conflict, it said.
Residents reported violent clashes and explosions in multiple areas of the capital, with dozens of vehicles carrying fighter jets having different militias on the streets.
"It's a nightmare," said Ahmed Ammer, who lives in the city center, adding that the conflict reminiscent of the civil war that swallowed North African countries after the overthrow and killing of long-time ruler Moammar Gadhafi in 2011.
He said the conflict has subsided, but the situation has been tense, with many fighter jets on the street.
The courses at the Capital School were suspended on Tuesday, according to the Tripoli-based Ministry of Education. The University of Tripoli also said it suspended research, examinations and administration until further notice.
Dbeibah's government released on its social media platform earlier Tuesday, with its troops conducting military operations in Abu Salim and taking full control of the area. It provides no more details.
In a statement from Libya, the United Nations said that “fighting fiercely with heavy weapons in densely populated civilian areas” was warned, warning that “attacks on civilians and civilians could constitute war crimes.”
The conflict is the latest violence in largely lawless Mediterranean countries, which has been in chaos and division since 2011. In the midst of chaos, militia grew up in wealth and power, especially in Tripoli and the western part of the country.
Libya has been allocated among rival governments in the east and west for many years, each supported by armed groups and foreign governments. Currently, it is managed by the Western Dbeibah government and Eastern Prime Minister Ossama Hammad.