By Libya Herald reporter.
Tripoli, 18 May 2016:
Four people, including a women, were shot dead and at least ten others injured in . . .[restrict]Gasr Ben Gashir, next to Tripoli International Airport, when a local militia that was supposed to be in charge of security fired at customers trying to enter the bank to withdraw cash. One of the wounded is since reported also to have died.
The militia, led by Mohamed Al-Masri who is said to be known locally known as Al-Mahboul (“the madman”), is alleged to have fired at the crowd which had arrived at the local branch of the Bank of North Africa. They did so following a report that it had received a delivery of cash and they would be allowed to withdraw up to LD 200 each.
Banks across Libya have been without cash for several weeks.,
There was chaos when the crowd tried to rush into the bank. Some reports say that the militia fired into the air to try and calm the situation and that people were killed and injured by the falling bullets. However eye-witnesses claim that the militia fired directly into the crowd.
It is reported that Al-Masri, who was present during the slaughter, had forced the bank to accept his militia as security forces.
So far there has been no attempt to arrest him or other militia members. [/restrict]
