The Tripoli based Aldabaiba Ministry of Defence announced a ceasefire this morning after heavy fighting broke out overnight in Tripoli, including central and residential areas. The fighting was between forces aligned to the Tripoli government of Abd Alhamid Aldabaiba and Abdelraouf Kara, militia leader of the Special Deterrence Force (SDF) / RADA, and his allied militias.
Initial reports say there is a stalemate with no outright winner. There are conflicting reports as to how the fighting had started.
Unconfirmed video images show damage to commercial and residential buildings and civilians’ cars spread across the capital because of stray gunfire. There are unconfirmed reports of shells falling too.
Video clips show smoke emanating from the Dat Il Imad office complex (Tower 5).
A huge fire broke out at the Counter Illegal Migration Centre off Sika Street – only metres away from PM Aldabaiba’s Cabinet Office.
Tripoli’s Mitiga airport was forced to close again just hours after flights had resumed. Aircraft and flights had been diverted to Misrata Airport.
Tripoli university suspends studies again and schools were also suspended.
In its ceasefire announcement the Tripoli Defence Ministry said ‘‘We announce the start of the implementation of the ceasefire in all axes of tension inside the capital, Tripoli, within the framework of keenness to protect civilians, preserve state institutions, and avoid further escalation in the capital.
The regular forces, in coordination with the competent security authorities, began taking the necessary measures to ensure calm, including the deployment of neutral units at a number of contact points.
We affirm that our dealing with the recent developments came within the framework of the national duty, and in a way that ensures the preservation of public order and prevents attempts to exploit circumstances to achieve agendas that contradict the course of the state and its legitimate institutions.
We stress that unity, strengthening the rule of law and dismantling manifestations of indiscriminate armament will remain an unwavering priority, and no reality will be allowed to be imposed by force of arms or outside official frameworks.
We call on all parties to fully abide by the ceasefire, and to refrain from inflammatory statements or any field moves that could restore tension’’.
Today’s clashes, which started just before midnight Tripoli time, follow on from yesterday’s still unconfirmed, but widely believed, killing of Abdelghani Ghenewa Al-Kikly, leader of the powerful Tripoli state-recognised militia, the Support and Stability Apparatus (SSA).
He is believed to have been killed by security forces aligned to the Abd Alhamid Aldabaiba Tripoli government.
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Calm returns after overnight Tripoli clashes as major militia leader reportedly killed
