Dbeibé accuses “external and internal actors” of being behind the latest clashes in Tripoli

Aug. 28 (EUROPA PRESS) –

Libyan Unity Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibé has accused external and internal actors of being behind clashes between rival militias in the Libyan capital Tripoli, which left 23 people dead and more than 150 others dead on Saturday. wounded.

“We want elections, and whoever wants to govern Libya through coups, weapons and fire, we tell them that they are dreaming,” explained Dbeibé during an inspection by government forces on the airport road, south of Tripoli, according to the newspaper ‘The Libyan Observer’.

The Joint Operations Force (FOC) of the Government of National Unity previously reported the use of drones to attack military vehicles of the forces of the armed group affiliated with Usama Juwaili, which is on the side of the government of the east of the country, Fazi Bashagha.

However, Juwaili has specified that, despite the fact that some of his units have been attacked and have responded militarily, “no one” would be so “reckless” to use drones, since “this would radically change the rules of engagement”, as local media have picked up.

The Tripoli General Services Company has begun to clean up the remains of the clashes this Sunday before an apparent calm in the capital this morning, according to the news portal Ein News.

The conflict between the so-called Support and Stability Force, under the orders of the unity government, against militias led by Haitem Tajouri, immediately spread to several neighborhoods of the city on Saturday, mainly in the districts of Zawiya and Al Jumuriya, scene of “big fires”

The UN Secretary General, António Guterres, has called for “the immediate cessation of violence” and has urged the parties this Sunday to “engage in a real dialogue to address the current political stalemate and not use force to resolve their differences” .

Thus, he has asked the parties “to protect civilians and refrain from any action that increases tension and deepens divisions.” The United Nations remains ready to offer its mediation to help the Libyan parties find a way out of the political impasse,” its spokesman, Stéphane Dujarric, said in a statement.

The House of Representatives, based in the east of the country, ended Dbeibé’s mandate due to the postponement of the presidential elections in December and ended up appointing Bashaga, at the beginning of a conflict that has spread to the country’s energy sector, absolutely essential to sustain the economy of a nation ruined after years of civil war.

It should be remembered that Bashaga has attempted to take control of Tripoli as many as twice — on July 22, clashes left 16 dead and around 50 wounded — before giving up to avoid a serious armed struggle. Right now his government is based in the city of Sirte, but the prime minister of the country’s east has been threatening for days to carry out a definitive offensive against the capital.

Dbeibé came to power after the historic 2020 ceasefire that ended a year of fighting between forces from Tripoli and from the east of the country, led by rebel marshal Khalifa Haftar.

The transitional government was mandated to take the country to elections last December, but they never took place due to divisions over the rules and the presence of controversial candidates, culminating in the controversial appointment of Bashaga.