By Libya Herald reporter.
Tripoli, 27 October 2016:
There are growing fears of renewed fighting between Zawia and the neighbouring Wirshefana district following the murder of three Zawia men two days ago. A Wirshefana gang has been accused on the killing the three civilians at Syed between Zawia and Janzour. Reports from Zawia say that local militia units are mobilising against the Wirshefana. Photos of three tanks held by the Zawians being prepared for attack have appeared on social media sites.
Threats against the Wirshefana have also been made by the Fursan Janzour (“Janzour Knights”) brigade in its Facebook page.
Both Janzur and Zawia are deeply hostile to the Wirshefana, their mutual neighbour. It was largely for this reason that both supported the now defunct pro-GNC Libya Dawn alliance while the Wirshefana allied themselves to the House of Representatives and Khalifa Hafter.
The deadly attacks against the Wirshefana two years ago involving mainly Zawia (and Janzour) forces resulted in hundreds of dead and wounded, and there have been regular if intermittent clashes since.
The hostility between the Zawia and the Wirshefana is also the main reason for the continued closure of the coastal road west of Tripoli.