By Ashraf Abdul Wahab
Tripoli, 10 August 2013:
Families fled screaming when at least one gunman opened fire in a crowded city centre . . .[restrict]fairground in Tripoli, killing one woman and wounding six other people one of them critically.
The attack last night, reportedly occurred after a group of youths was barred by guards from the Omar Mukhtar Street fairground, for using inappropriate language or behaviour. Some reports said they were high on drugs. The young men left but then returned with one or more weapons. Witnesses claimed that they got into the fairground by jumping over a wall. There followed what was described as indiscriminate firing, during which families celebrating the holiday fled in panic.
The unnamed dead woman, reportedly from the Medina, died of her wounds after she was taken to hospital. Another of the injured suffered a serious stomach wound and another was hit in the leg, while the other four were only slightly injured and were not detained in hospital.
Interior Ministry spokesman Rami Kaal said today that a single Kalashnikov had been used in the killing. He told the Libyan news agency LANA that the gunman escaped in the ensuing panic, but he had been identified and was being sought by the security forces.
This attack on crowds celebrating Eid al-Fitr, came hours after troops were deployed throughout the capital, to reassure people about their security during the holiday. [/restrict]
