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By Umar Khan.
Tripoli, 6 July:
Some 35 armoured vehicles took part in a parade in Tripoli’s Martyr Square on Thursday evening organised . . .[restrict]by the Interior Ministry in coordination with Tripoli Local Council (TLC). The parade was attended by the senior officials from the police department and witnessed by a crowd of more than 500 people. The parade also included bands playing traditional music, scouts and horsemen.
According to Saadat El Badri, deputy chairman of TLC’s executive committee, the parade was organized to send a message to the public that the security forces were ready and able to provide security and deal with any situation that may arise during the elections.
The atmosphere was jovial. The crowd in the square and security guards gave V for victory signs and the armed cars sported large signs stating that the “National security officials work to protect your right to go through the electoral procedure with full safety”.
Under the government’s security plans, ministry of interior forces are providing security to the polling stations while ministry of defense forces are tasked with securing the entrances and exits of the country’s towns and cities. The ministry of defense had asked for additional forces from the Border Guards to help implement the election security plan.
The parade followed one in Benghazi after a mob ransacked the electoral commission offices there on Sunday. [/restrict]
