By: W. Spencer, The Chicago Times
August 28, 2022
TRIPOLI – Violence erupted in the streets of Libya’s capital Saturday killing 32 people as two rival militias fight for political control.
Saturday’s bloodshed started as militias loyal to the Tripoli based government fought against militants supporting a rival government seeking to take power. Civil war is now feared throughout the oil rich country once ruled by the brutal dictator Moammar Gadhafi.
Gadhafi’s removal in 2011 in favor a western backed government has split the country politically between factions supporting the previous dictatorship and factions supported by the West.
After the failure to hold elections, current prime minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah has refused to relinquish power despite the appointment of Fathi Bashagha as the new prime minister by parliament.
According to the Health Ministry, 32 people were killed and 159 wounded during the bloody fighting which included heavy artillery shelling in a densely populated area of the capital. Many innocent civilians were reportedly trapped during the carnage.
Photo: Vyacheslav Argenberg
The Chicago Times 