Gunshots were fired at or in the vicinity of demonstrators in Tripoli’s Martyr Square last night, unconfirmed but widely circulating videos on social media seem to show.
The demonstrations are a fallout from Monday and Tuesday’s Tripoli militia (the Support and Stability Apparatus (SSA) and the Special Deterrence Force (SDF/RADA) clashes with state security forces (the 444 Brigade and 111 Brigade). The demonstrations came on the back of yesterday’s agreed ceasefire which seems to be is holding.
Calls for downfall of Aldabaiba’s Tripoli government
The demonstrators were calling for the downfall of the Tripoli based and Abd Alhamid Aldabaiba led Libyan government. There were similar calls for its downfall in Sug Il Juma and Ain Zara. Both areas have sympathy to the militias opposing PM Aldabaiba.
Demonstrations took place in various areas of Tripoli last night including in front of the Cabinet Office in Sika Road. There are reports that gunfire was also used to disperse them and prevent them from entering the Prime Minister’s Office.
Tripoli Central Municipality
Meanwhile, Tripoli Central Municipality issued a statement yesterday holding PM Aldabaiba’s government, the Presidential Council (in its capacity as commander-in-chief of the armed forces) and the conflicting parties, responsible for the deterioration of the security situation inside the capital.
It stressed that Tripoli is a capital of peace, and its streets are not a battlefield.
Many others have called for a ceasefire.
Casualty and death figures suppressed
No deaths or injuries have been reported, but the government has been suppressing official injury and death figures throughout this period of militia clashes and civil unrest. No official figures have so far been released whatsoever.
Calls for calm are being headed?
However, sources across Tripoli seem to confirm that wide national and international calls for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire seem to have been heeded this morning.
Some support in Misrata for Aldabaiba
On the other hand, there was support for Aldabaiba and his government in his hometown of Misrata, with his actions against militias (such as the SDF/RADA, based in Sug Il Juma) seen as part of the consolidation of legitimacy and state-building.
The spark
It will be recalled that these events were sparked by the killing of the SSA’s militia leader, Abdelghani Ghnewa Al-Kikly, on Monday and the resultant takeover of the SSA’s, and its allies’, bases after Ghnewa’s death.
Following the fall of the SSA and its allies, the SDF/RADA had, according to the Tripoli government, agreed to handover some the SSA and its allies’ bases in its territory to government forces. But the Tripoli government said the SDF/RADA reneged on the agreement and, without warning, attacked them, causing new clashes with the SDF/RADA.
