TRIPOLI: Gun battles between the two leading armed groups in Tripoli killed two people and forced the closure of the Libyan capital’s only civilian airport, officials said on Tuesday. A period of relative stability had led the United Nations to express hope for delayed elections to take place this year, and the latest fighting triggered international calls for calm. In May, the two sides had clashed for hours in Tripoli, also after the arrest of a 444 Brigade member. The United Nations Support Mission in Libya said in a statement it was “following with concern” the security deterioration in the Libyan capital and its impact on civilians. The embassies of the United States, United Kingdom, France and the European Union echoed the UN call for de-escalation.

Source: Libya Today August 16, 2023 03:41 UTC