A 48-hour state of
emergency has been declared in the Libyan capital, Tripoli, after a fresh wave
of clashes broke out following a deadly protest against armed groups.
At least one person
was killed and dozens wounded in Saturday’s clashes that took place a day after
more than 40 people were killed in firing by gunmen.
Saturday’s gun
battles broke out to the east of the capital in Tajoura, where rival gunmen
clashed at checkpoints set up to stop more gunmen nearby city of Misrata from
entering Tripoli, Mohammad Sasi, a local member of Libya’s congress said.
Thousands of
protesters gathered in the city centre to mourn those killed in Friday’s attack
when militias fired on a crowd urging the dissolution of unlawful armed groups.
Mourners called on
their government to resign and armed militias to leave the city.
“I extend my
warmest condolences. May God console all the families of the martyrs. It’s a
great loss to the country, what has happened is regrettable,” said Ali
Zidan, Libyan prime minister, at a news conference on Saturday.
Many stores in the
city were closed on Saturday. Tripoli officials have declared a three-day
mourning period.
Friday’s protest had
been the biggest show of public anger over militias in months.
The Libyan Prime
Minister has demanded that all militias “without exception” who fired
on civilians leave the Libyan capital.
“The armed
manifestations and bullying on the state with the weapons that were seized
during the revolution (against Muammar Gaddafi) is unaccepted by the
people.”
Zidan, who was
briefly kidnapped by militiamen himself last month, said on Friday his
embattled government was working on a plan to drive all militias out of
Tripoli.
Tripoli on
edge
Tripoli is on edge
since the deadly clashes that also left more than 500 wounded, LANA reported
the Interior Ministry as saying.
The new clashes
occurred despite the Prime Minister urging the rebels to stay out of Tripoli,
saying that “it would have negative and catastrophic consequences”.
US Secretary of
State John Kerry condemned the violence and urged restraint in a statement
issued by the State Department.
The fighting
followed demonstrations on Friday, in which imams, during weekly Muslim
prayers, called for protests against armed groups and former fighters who
refuse to disarm, which then degenerated into deadly clashes continuing through
the night.
After the death of
longtime dictator Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, Libya’s new leaders have struggled
to take control of armed groups fighting over power and influence.
