By Moutaz Ali.
Tripoli, 17 July 2014:
The escalation of violence in Tripoli threatens the future of Libya, government spokesman . . .[restrict]Ahmed Lamin has said as authorities struggle to restore calm.
“Nobody can impose their will by using force, the rival groups have to realise they are threatening the future of Libya,” he said. “They are damaging facilities owned by all Libyans.”
On Tuesday morning the government ordered all combatants at Tripoli Airport to retreat to a distance of 20 kilometres but its calls have fallen on deaf ears. “The situation is serious and all parties must realise that no one is above the law,” Lamin said. “If we cannot do it today we will prosecute them in the future,” he added.
Amin explained, for the third time, that authorities would prosecute those fighting at the airport. The Attorney General’s office today announced the creation of a committee to inspect the damage there, both of planes and buildings. The committee has been told to find out who was responsible for the attacks on aircraft .
The General Chief of Staff, Abdusalam Jadallah Al-Obeidi has ordered the Western Libya Shield, based 27 kilometres outside of Tripoli, not to intervene in the capital, telling it instead to protect the costal road from Tripoli to Tunisian border.
The unit has been allied to the Central Libya Shield which at present is supporting the attacks on the Zintani Sawaq and Qaaqaa brigades.
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