Battles raged across the city throughout Saturday as forces aligned with the parliament-backed administration of Fathi Bashagha failed to take control of the capital and oust the Tripoli-based government of Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah.
Libya has had little peace since the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that ousted longtime autocrat Muammar Gaddafi, splitting the nation in 2014 between rival eastern and western factions and dragging in regional powers. Libyan oil output, a prize for the warring groups, has repeatedly been shut off. Saleh's parliament, based in east Libya, said Dbeibah's government had exceeded its term and appointed Bashagha to replace him early this year after the collapse of a political process to prepare for elections. Dbeibah challenged this."Dbeibah looks more solid and more permanent now than he did 48 hours ago," analyst Jalel Harchaoui said. "Haftar and Aguila Saleh have to decide whether they can live with a configuration in which they have almost no control over Tripoli.
U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres called for an immediate halt to violence and for dialogue to end the impasse. A top pro-Bashagha commander Osama Juweili said Saturday's fighting had been triggered by friction between armed forces in Tripoli. But he told Al-Ahrar TV that "it is not a crime" to try to bring in a government mandated by parliament.
Well done NATO and your allies
Sophie_Mokoena Libyans will forever learn not to be carried away and fall into West's deception. Now their once lovely country is in ruins with barbarians running the show.
Who stands to gain from this carnage? Those who started this are indifferent to the woes of their actions. NATO should be ashamed.