By Umar Khan.
Tripoli, 9 November 2013:
In a bid to reduce tensions between Misrata and Suq Al-Juma following Thursday night’s clashes . . .[restrict]in the capital between forces from the two places, detainees captured during the fighting are to be freed, according to Tripoli Local Council (TLC) Leader Sadat Elbadri.
“Both sides have agreed to release the people that were taken on the night of clashes,” Elbadri told the Libya Herald earlier today. He did not say how many people were involved.
The decision to free detainees was made at a meeting between council officials from both Tripoli and Misrata. They also agreed to set up a committee to investigate the clashes, it had been reported.
Meanwhile, Tripoli Local Council now wants all non-Tripoli brigades out of the capital.
“We are calling to all brigades from other towns to leave the capital” Elbadri stated. Tripoli would look after its own security in future, he insisted.
“To provide immediate security to Tripoli residents, the new Tripoli police chief has assured me of heavy security presence on the streets from tomorrow (Sunday).”
Elbadri said he intended to meet Defence Minister Abdullah Al-Thini to demand that armed groups be removed from the capital. He stated he wants Law No. 27 implemented immediately.
Passed by the General National Congress (GNC) earlier this year, the law ordered the removal of all armed groups from the capital and was passed after armed clashes between officially-recognised armed groups in Tripoli’s Busleem and Salahadeen districts.
His meeting with Thini is one of many that have been taking place in the past 36 hours to resolve the situation following the fighting. These have included delegations from Ghariyan and Zawiya meeting with both sides to try and stop further violence. They called on all brigades to respect the position of Tripoli as the capital city.
The situation has forced a cancellation of one top-level security meeting that was to be attended by various brigade commanders and the new police chief of Tripoli.
Sources in the Interior Ministry and in Tripoli police directorate both confirmed the cancellation saying that officials were busy dealing with the issues between Misrata and Suq Al-Juma. “The meeting was cancelled as few commanders weren’t able to attend the meeting because of their involvement in sorting out the ongoing chaos,” said a source.
The TLC chairman told the Libya Herald that in his meetings with delegations from other towns and activists he had been assured of full support to seek the implementation of Law No. 27. “In all my meetings with delegations from other cities and activists from Tripoli as well as a late night meeting with a delegation from Misrata Local Council, we agreed to pressure the government to implement the resolution (Law No. 27),” he said.
A statement was issued by the TLC condemning the clashes and calling for the implementation of Law 27. A small crowd also gathered in Algeria Square last night carrying placards against the presence of brigades from other cities in Tripoli.
They also demanded the government to put on trial those responsible for the killing of two Tripoli residents during the fighting.
With input from Aimen Eljali [/restrict]
