TRIPOLI, Aug 29 — Charred cars and buildings pockmarked by bullets scarred Libya’s capital yesterday, the day after intense fighting killed 32 people yet appeared to leave the Tripoli government more firmly entrenched.
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.
Several groups aligned with Bashagha in Tripoli appeared to have lost control of territory inside the capital on Saturday. Attempts by other forces, aligned to him and trying to advance into the capital from the west and south, appeared to stall.