By Seraj Essul.
Tripoli, 21 June 2014:
Three days of blood-letting in Sebha during which eight people may have died and at least . . .[restrict]a dozen been injured, appeared to have ended tonight after Misratan peacekeepers brokered talks between tribal elders.
A member of the Third Force from Misrata, which has been in the city since January, trying to keeping warring parties apart, told the Libya Herald that the situation had been confused, with partial information coming from all sides.
As far as he knew, the clashes began when a member of the Qaddadfa tribe was killed, allegedly by a member of the rival Awlad Suleiman tribe. This triggered three revenge attacks, in which two Awlad Suleiman and another Qaddadfa were slain.
Fighting reached a new intensity today with a further four deaths as the Awlad Suleiman allegedly brought in mortars which were fired indiscriminately. Two women are reported to have been killed in the bombardment. One salvo not only hit the house of a Qaddadfa tribesman but also the property of his Tebu neighbour. This brought Tebu into the fight alongside Qaddadfa in a battle which threatened to get out of control.
Third Force commanders however persuaded elders from all sides to meet this afternoon and a ceasefire was agreed. The fierce conflict had turned parts of the central district of Al-Manshiya into a ghost town. At least four cars were burnt out. One woman told this newspaper that she had been too frightened to go outside and had stayed in her home all day.
According to unconfirmed reports from Sebha hospital, four bodies were brought in. There were also 12 seriously injured who were all flown from the airport to Tripoli, where their condition is unknown.
As of this evening, the ceasefire appeared to be holding. “Now, thank God, it is calm” said the Third Force member. [/restrict]
