Major militia clashes in Tripoli on Friday and Saturday have led to 32 deaths and 159 injuries, the Tripoli Health Ministry reported today.
There was intense exchange of fire with medium and heavy weapons, and shells fell on several neighbourhoods, damaging or setting fire to ambulances, hospitals, public buildings, shops, cars, and homes. Civilians were caught in the crossfire. Many were trapped during the fighting, and several were killed or injured.
The fight over legitimacy and right to rule Libya
The clashes were between militias aligned to the Tripoli-based caretaker government led by Prime Minister Abd Alhamid Aldabaiba and the parallel government selected by Libya’s parliament, the House of Representatives (HoR), led by Fathi Bashagha. Khalifa Hafter is aligned with Bashagha. Both sides in the clashes accuse the other of instigating the clashes.
Justifiable use of force to claim legitimate right to rule?
Bashagha has made several attempts to enter Tripoli in order to take up the prime ministership, including an attempt in May that led to militia clashes. He failed in his attempt and was forced to retreat. Aligned militias to incumbent prime minister Aldabaiba have used force to prevent Bashagha physically entering and remaining in Tripoli. Bashagha sees himself as the new legitimate PM. Aldabaiba sees himself as the legitimate PM until successful elections replace him as well as the HoR and the High State Council.
As Aldabaiba has resorted to force to hold on to power, despite losing a vote of confidence in the HoR, the militias aligned to Bashagha have resorted to the use of force in an attempt to install Bashagha in power.
Bashagha the net loser?
Although the military confrontation could turn into an ongoing war of attrition and is by no means over, most experts seem to agree that Friday and Saturday’s clashes have weakened Bashagha’s militia allies, especially the former Tripoli Revolutionaries Brigade (TRB) associated with Haythem Tajuri.
The pro-Aldabaiba militias seem to have succeeded in ejecting the pro-Bashagha militias from their central Tripoli barracks. This explains why the fighting was concentrated in multiple locations in the heart of Tripoli.
Yesterday, Tripoli was a ghost town. Shops closed and several airlines cancelled flights from and to Tripoli’s Mitiga airport. High school exams were postponed and Tripoli University cancelled Monday’s exams. However, all the above mentioned were reversed today as life slowly started to return to normal.
A tense calm in Tripoli
A tense calm has dominated Tripoli on Sunday, but there is no guarantee that after regrouping even bigger clashes could resume.
For what it is worth, the UN, the U.S. and several European states urged, not for the first time, calm. It is unclear how much leverage they have on both clashing sides.
More Tripoli militia clashes as the battle for legitimacy continues (libyaherald.com)
Misrata militia clashes increase Libyan tensions (libyaherald.com)
