By Ashraf Abdul-Wahab.
Tripoli, 4 August 2014:
Tripoli continued today to suffer some of its heaviest clashes since fighting between the Misrata-led “Libya . . .[restrict]Dawn Operation” and the Zintani-led alliance broke out at the airport three weeks ago.
For the past two days, there been a barrage of missiles landing randomly on the Airport Road, in Hay Al Akwa and nearby Abu Sleem, in Seraj, Krimea, Hadba, Wadi Rabia and Dreibi districts. In Hadba, the relative of friends of Libya Herald staff was killed sitting at home when a rocket hit his house. A 59-year old Indian worker, named as Soloman Daniel from Kerala, died when he was hit by a shell while returning home form work on Sunday. Other civilians are reported to have been likewise killed.
In the west Tripoli suburb of Janzour where where the local militia, the Fursan Janzour (Knights of Janzour) was under attack by Zintan’s Barq Al-Nasr Brigade supported by Warshefana forces, the camp of the National Mobile Forces – part of the Libya Dawn Operation and allied to the Fursan Janzour – is reported to have been overrun and destroyed today by the Zintanis and Warshefana. Following it, the victors were said to be heading for Camp 27, on the road to Zawia, to try and eject Libya Shield forces currently based there.
The Barq Al-Nasr Brigade was accused by former Deputy Prime Minister Mustafa Abushagur of kidnapping him last Tuesday
Meanwhile missiles are also said to have hit the former women’s military academy next to the Suq Al-Talat roundabout at the end of Omar Mukhtar street, killing a number of militiamen there.
The fighting appears to have intensified since Nouri Abu Sahmain, the President of Congress, in a parting shot, declared the Zintani Qaaqaa and Sawak brigades to be illegal and called on members of the Libyan Revolutionaries Operations Room to destroy them.
Numbers of dead and injured in the latest fighting are unknown.
For residents in the capital, even without the dangers of random missiles landing, life is almost intolerable. In many places, food shops are running out of supplies and there are vast queues at bakers – when bread can be had. In Janzour, residents say, there has been no bread for the past day and a half. Last week they went four days without it.
Thousands have left their homes, either for safer places in the capital or elsewhere. According to the Red Crescent, 2,500 families have been forced to move, but the figure is believed to be higher.
Petrol in the oil-rich country is just as scarce as bread. One member of the Libya Herald staff left Tripoli at midnight on Saturday night for Misrata in an attempt to buy fuel. Arriving at 5 am he was turned away. He then went to Zliten where normally a petrol station on the main road opens at 7 am. It did not, but locals pointed him to another station. But he had to wait four hours in a queue. Twelve hours after he left Tripoli, he finally filled up and was able to return home. His story is nothing special. Everyone else in Tripoli is in the same boat. [/restrict]
