you've reached a subscriber-only article. Sign up now and access the full breadth of The Daily Star content in minutes.

subscribe now unrestricted access 1 month...$12 | 3 months...$30 | 6 months...$55 | 1 year...$99 Existing users can login here or register for a new account.</s>Benghazi - Rival militias have clashed in neighbourhoods across the Libyan capital of Tripoli, and the state-run Lana news agency says at least eight militiamen have been killed.

The clashes sent tanks and convoys of armed militiamen streaming into the streets.

The sides are split between rival militias vying for control of the city: One has its origins in Tripoli, while the other side is led by forces originally from the western city of Misrata and has Islamist leanings.

Pictures posted on social media showed masked armed men on pick-up trucks in the streets in Tripoli.

Libya sank into lawlessness and divisions after the downfall of the longtime leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.</s>BENGHAZI, Libya — Clashes continued for the second day among heavily-armed militias in the Libyan capital Tripoli, vying for power and control over the city, with one dislodging another in at least two posts, a five-star hotel and a barracks, in what appears to be the worst outbreak of violence the city has seen in two years.

Competing militias have chopped Tripoli up into fiefdoms and power centers after longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi, Libya's ruler for 42 years, was ousted and killed in an uprising in 2011.They maintain what observers describe as a "balance of terror."

Witnesses in Tripoli said Friday that gun battles rocked the southeastern Nasr Forest district and adjacent neighborhoods as residents were advised by a local emergency body affiliated with the Interior Ministry to remain home and away from windows. The clashes started Thursday and have reportedly killed at least eight, according to state news agency LANA. During a lull in the violence late Thursday night, panicked residents could be seen lining up outside gas stations to stock up on fuel.

In a statement Friday, U.N. Envoy to Libya Martin Kobler called for halt to the fighting, saying he is "extremely alarmed."

"It's completely unacceptable for armed groups to fight to assert their interest and control, particularly in residential areas, terrorizing the population," he said.

Reached by phone, a female resident in Tripoli told The Associated Press that families had locked themselves in their homes.

"We haven't slept all night and we haven't left the house since yesterday. All we are hearing is screaming, bombings and gunfire," she said, "the security situation is going from bad to worse."

"We just want the militias to leave," she pleaded.

The U.N.-brokered unity government has not commented ongoing fighting and, given the fluidity of the situation, it remains to be seen whether the victors of the clashes will back the internationally-recognized body.

"This is a struggle over power. Each of the warring parties has its political and ideological agendas," said Sami al-Atrash, a Tripoli resident and a legal expert. "The clashes are belated. They expected at any moment and finally happened," he said.

In March of this year, the prime minister of the unity government, Fayez Sarraj, arrived quietly by boat to Tripoli from Tunisia. Militias in control of the capital showed no resistance.

One of Tripoli's warring sides is supportive of Sarraj and comprised of mainly local militias, such as the ultraconservative Salafist forces led Abdel-Raouf Kara, known as the Special Deterrent Force, or "Rada" in Arabic. One of Tripoli's largest and most powerful militias, Tripoli Revolutionaries, led by Haytham al-Tajouri, had previously been ambivalent about the unity government, but it has now joined forces with the Rada militia.

The other warring group is more skeptical of the unity government. Some hail from the western city of Misrata, while others are linked to the former leader of the onetime Jihadist but now defunct Libya Islamic Fighting Group by Abdel-Hakim Belhaj. They are backed by the hard-line Grand Mufti Sadek al-Ghariani. Both of Belhaj and the Grand Mufti are believed to be receiving financing from Qatar.

The two sides have been exchanging accusations of orchestrating killings and kidnappings. The latest dispute involved an aide to al-Ghariyani, Nader al-Omrani, whose body was found weeks after he was abducted, and the Rada militia was blamed for his killing.

On Thursday night, the Rada and Tripoli Revolutionaries militias took control of five-star hotel Al Mahary Radisson Blu Hotel in central Tripoli, where Belhaj had turned some of its rooms into offices. The same alliance also took over the 6th Division barracks once occupied by rival militias.

Fighting also broke out in the vicinity of the Rixos hotel, to the capital's southeast — its convention center was once the meeting venue for the outgoing parliament but has since changed hands.

Pictures posted by activists on social media showed militiamen firing RPGs from rooftops, and armored vehicles and pickup trucks mounted with anti-aircraft weaponry occupying main streets.

The fighting is believed to be the worst in two years, following Libya's last parliamentary elections when Islamists were dealt an unexpected blow, and the anti-Islamist head of the armed forces general Khalifa Hifter launched an offensive against Islamic militants in the eastern city of Benghazi.

Friday's fighting came amid unconfirmed reports that the U.N. would make substantial amendments to the current political agreement to give Hifter a share of power, which could anger his rivals in Tripoli and Misrata.

As the fighting in Tripoli rages on, Sarraj's government may be pleased to see one of its rivals — the militias linked to Belhaj and the Grand Mufti — crushed, but given a climate of regularly shifting alliances, it's still unclear whether the battles will serves the interest of the U.N.-backed unity government.

The last large-scale escalation of clashes in Tripoli occurred in 2014 when a coalition of Islamist militias known as Libya Dawn seized Tripoli International Airport, unseated the interim government and forced it to flee to the eastern city of Tobruk, where Libya's last elected parliament convened. The violence forced the closure of foreign embassies, displaced hundreds of thousands of residents, and left the capital with no airport except for the Mitiga air-base under the control of Belhaj.

In 2015, the U.N. brokered a peace deal among warring parties, under which a new Presidency Council and power-sharing government sought to heal the country's rift and lead it to new elections. The head of the Presidency Council and designated-prime minister, Sarraj, however, has failed to achieve this goal after the internationally-recognized parliament —seated in Tobruk — refused to give a vote of confidence to Sarraj's government. The parliament objected to a key article which gives Sarraj's institutions power over the army. Hifter — who is backed by Egypt and UAE — opposed the deal and has lately achieved some military victories over Benghazi's militants, who were supported by some of Tripoli Islamists, and moved his forces to free Libya's oil terminals, the country's main revenue source, from eastern militia commander Ibrahim Jedran.

Meanwhile, in Sirte, the birthplace of Gadhafi, forces loyal to the U.N.-recognized government are battling Islamic State militants with the support of U.S. air cover.

A separate conflict has been blazing for two years in the eastern city of Benghazi, where Hifter is leading a battle against Islamic militants and the al-Qaida-linked group of Ansar al-Shariah.

As peace efforts stall, the lingering political and security vacuum has turned the once rich country into a proxy war battleground where Egypt and the United Arab Emirates support anti-Islamic forces, while Qatar and Turkey back various Islamist groups.

Associated Press writer Maggie Michael in Cairo contributed to this report.</s>BENGHAZI, Libya — Clashes are continuing for the second day among heavily-armed militias in the Libyan capital Tripoli in what appears to be the worst outbreak of violence there in two years.

Witnesses on Friday say gun battles are rocking the southeastern Nasr Forest district and adjacent between militias vying for power and control over the city.

The clashes started on Thursday and reportedly left eight dead. During a lull of violence late Thursday night, panicked residents lined up in front of area gas stations.

Tripoli has been held hostage by various unruly militias since Moammar Gadhafi, Libya's ruler for 42 years, was ousted and killed in 2011.</s>A tank is seen on fire during clashes between soldiers from the Libyan national army, led by Marshal Khalifa Haftar, and extremists on Wednesday in the area of Qanfudah, south of Benghazi, Libya (AFP photo)

TRIPOLI, Libya — Gunfire could be heard over Tripoli on Thursday as armed groups mobilised heavy weapons and took up positions in several parts of the Libyan capital.

Militias that hold effective power across the city clash frequently, but the shooting was heavier than usual and tanks and armed convoys could be seen in some areas.

The immediate cause of the latest violence was not clear.

Tripoli is controlled by a patchwork of armed groups, some with a quasi official status. Fighting is often sparked by turf wars or revenge attacks, while armed groups are also divided between those that support a UN-backed government that arrived in the capital in March and those that oppose it.

After the 2011 uprising against Muammar Qadhafi, Libya splintered into rival fiefdoms controlled by groups originally made up of former rebels.

Rival alliances fought for control of the capital in 2014, after which competing governments and parliaments were set up in Tripoli and the east.

The UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) was tasked with uniting Libya’s warring factions but has struggled to assert its authority in Tripoli and has been rejected by power brokers in the east.

Recently the government it displaced in Tripoli has attempted a comeback, regaining control of the Rixos hotel, which was meant to house a new legislative body under the deal that created the GNA.

Military vehicles were seen mobilising near the Rixos on Thursday and shops in the area closed amid rising tension. Military vehicles including tanks could also be seen in Bab Benghashir and Abu Salim neighbourhoods, while clashes were reported in Abu Salim and Hadba districts.

The city centre was calm but residents were rushing to do shopping and head home before nightfall.

The French foreign ministry issued a statement saying France was “very worried by the escalation of violence between armed groups in Tripoli”.

“[France] is in close contact with [GNA] Prime Minister Fayez Seraj and supports his efforts to restore the authority of the state, especially in Tripoli,” the statement said.

There was also fighting on Thursday in Libya’s second city, Benghazi, where forces loyal to eastern commander Khalifa Haftar have been waging a military campaign against Islamists and other opponents for more than two years.

There were sporadic clashes and air raids around the besieged district of Ganfouda, one of the last holdouts against Haftar’s Libyan National Army (LNA). The LNA launched its latest assault on the area on Wednesday.

A medical official said 11 men from the LNA had been killed and 36 wounded in two days of fighting.</s>Ambassador-Designate to Libya, Giuseppe Perrone, and the Special Envoy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Libya, Giorgio Starace, travelled to Tripoli and Misrata today while a delivery of 3 tonnes of medicines and medical aids carried by an Italian Air Force C-130 was being made to the two Libyan cities. The material is destined for the military hospital in Tripoli and the civilian hospital in Misrata. It will allow basic care to be provided to around 10,000 people for 3 months and specific treatments to be given to 100 war-wounded people. This is the sixth shipment of medicines made to Libya by the Italian Cooperation service since the beginning of the year and it is worth a total of 2.5 million euros.

The initiative is part of a multifaceted support plan for the Libyan State which, in addition to supplying healthcare materials and medicines, provides for the transport and treatment of Libyans injured while fighting Daesh in Libya.

In the Libyan capital, Ambassador Perrone and Special Envoy Starace met Deputy Prime Minister Maitig and Foreign Minister Siyala. During the meetings Italy reiterated its support for the Presidential Council and the Government of National Accord in the Country's stabilisation process.

In Misrata, Ambassador Perrone and Special Envoy Starace were received by the local authorities, who expressed appreciation for Italy's continued support to Libya. Before leaving the city, the Italian delegation met staff working in the "Hippocrates Task Force" field hospital.</s>Black smoke rose into the sky and explosions reverberated around the Abu Salim and Hadba districts, and an eyewitness said a major road nearby had been blocked off with shipping containers. Gunfire echoed across several other neighborhoods.

Tripoli is controlled by an array of armed groups which sporadically clash over territorial control or economic interests. Some groups have quasi-official status, but no government has succeeded in taming their power since the uprising that toppled Muammar Gaddafi five years ago.

The violence is the latest setback for the U.N.-backed Government of National Accord (GNA), which arrived in the capital in March with the acquiescence of some powerful armed factions but has struggled to assert its authority.

The GNA is part of Western efforts to end Libya's chaos and unite factions aligned with two rival governments that were set up in Tripoli and eastern Libya in 2014. But the GNA has faced resistance from power brokers in eastern Libya and more recently from figures associated with a previous government in Tripoli that it had tried to displace.

Tripoli residents have become increasingly critical of the GNA as its leaders have failed to resolve severe economic problems, restore public services and improve security. Rumors of fresh violence in Tripoli had spread in recent weeks as the GNA's position was seen to weaken further.

"The clashes between militias in Tripoli haven't stopped and there's no sign of the GNA," one resident, Mohammed Salem, told Reuters on Friday. People in Tripoli had little idea about any political maneuvering behind the clashes, he said.

"What is going on in Tripoli is a war of power ... every militia badly wants to gain power because they know if they control the capital they rule," Salem said.

Sustained gunfire started on Thursday as armed groups mobilized military vehicles including tanks and pick-up trucks mounted with heavy weapons.

Overnight, a camp belonging to one brigade was bulldozed by a rival faction, according to videos posted on social media. There were unconfirmed reports that at least seven people had been killed. Some shops were shut and frightened residents rushed to stock up on provisions.

One of the capital's bigger armed groups, the Tripoli Revolutionaries Brigade, asserted that it had taken control of the Al Nasr Forest area around the Rixos hotel. A new legislative body linked to the GNA was ousted from the Rixos buildings in October.

Factional fighting in 2014 destroyed Tripoli's international airport. The area around the city's remaining airport, Mitiga, was calm on Friday and flights were operating.</s>United Nations special envoy on Libya Martin Kobler, seen in September 2016, called fighting in Tripoli's residential areas "unacceptable". By FABRICE COFFRINI (AFP/File)

Tripoli (AFP) - The UN's special envoy to Libya appealed for calm on Friday after clashes between rival militias in the south of the capital killed at least eight people.

Tripoli is controlled by a loose alliance of militias of different political and religious factions, and clashes between them are an almost daily occurrence.

The fighting that erupted in the city on Thursday continued on Friday, with shooting heard throughout the day as most residents stayed at home.

UN envoy Martin Kobler in a statement called on forces involved in the violence to stop immediately "and for wisdom to prevail".

"It is completely unacceptable for armed groups to fight to assert their interest and control, particularly in residential areas, terrorising the population," Kobler said.

He said the United Nations was in contact with parties on the ground to urge "an immediate end to this fighting".

At least eight people were killed on Thursday and Friday, a source at the Al-Khadhra hospital in Tripoli said.

Five years after Libya's 2011 revolution that toppled longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi, the country remains embroiled in violence and political chaos as the militias and two rival governments vie for power.

A UN-backed Government of National Accord took up office in March with the hopes of re-establishing central power and stemming a jihadist threat from the Islamic State group.

It was intended to replace the rival administrations but has failed to win a vote of confidence from the parliament in Tobruk while the Tripoli-based GNA considers it illegitimate.

The GNA suffered a fresh setback in October after the rival Government of National Salvation seized key offices in the capital.

The reasons for the latest clashes are not clear, but pro-GNA militias late Friday announced the end of an "operation" aimed at chasing a group of "extremists".</s>Five years after Libya's 2011 revolution, the country is embroiled in violence and political chaos as militias and two rival governments vie for power (AFP Photo/MAHMUD TURKIA)

Tripoli (AFP) - Rival militias clashed in Tripoli leaving at least seven people dead, Libyan media said, as AFP journalists reported hearing gunshots and explosions in the south of the capital.

Tanks, trucks and heavy weapons were seen on the streets but the cause of the conflict was not immediately clear.

It was not immediately possible to confirm the death toll.

Tripoli is controlled by a loose alliance of militias of different political and religious factions, and clashes between them are an almost daily occurrence.

Five years after Libya's 2011 revolution that toppled longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi, the country is embroiled in violence and political chaos as the militias and two rival governments vie for power.

A UN-backed Government of National Accord took up office in March with the hopes of re-establishing central power and stemming a jihadist threat from the Islamic State group.

It was intended to replace the rival administrations but has failed to win a vote of confidence from the parliament in Tobruk while the Tripoli-based GNA considers it illegitimate.

The GNA suffered a fresh setback in October after the rival Government of National Salvation seized key offices in the capital.</s>BERLIN -- Libya's coastal cities are making millions each year from people-smuggling, a European Union military task force commander in the Mediterranean Sea says in a confidential report.

The report, issued to the EU's 28 member states Wednesday, illustrates just how much the flow of migrants toward Europe is a central part of the economy in war-torn Libya.

In the report, Rear Adm. Enrico Credendino warned that "migrant smuggling, originating far beyond Libyan borders, remains a major source of income among locals in Libyan coastal cities generating estimated annual revenue of up to 275 to 325 million euros [about $292 million to $346 million]."

The report provides no details on how the figure was calculated and EU officials didn't immediately respond to questions by email or phone Thursday. Tens of thousands of migrants leaving Libya in unseaworthy boats have been picked up in the Mediterranean this year, however, often telling aid workers of the hundreds or thousands of dollars they had to pay smugglers in Libya.

The International Organization for Migration estimates that 4,690 people have lost their lives this year trying to cross the Mediterranean into Europe, and more than 348,650 migrants and refugees have reached the continent.

The EU report assesses the work of Operation Sophia, a naval mission intended to stop the influx to Europe, between Jan. 1 and Oct. 31.

Credendino noted in the report that Islamic extremist groups are among those involved in the smuggling business, which sometimes begins far south in Africa's Sahel zone.

"Al-Qaida and AQIM [Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb], aligned with the Tuareg tribe in southwestern Libya, are assessed to be financially exploiting these smuggling routes," he said.

He added that there was no evidence that extremists were trying to enter Europe by the dangerous central Mediterranean route that passes from Libya to Italy.

The mission has observed a change in tactics among some smugglers during the 10-month period covered by the report, Credendino said. Increasingly, they are towing rubber boats without engines out to sea, where the helpless migrants hope to be picked up by aid groups or merchant vessels.

He suggested that smugglers also are directing their boats intentionally toward aid vessels, which broadcast their location to nearby ships.

Credendino said he would be ready for the mission to operate in Libyan territorial waters "where we can make a more significant impact on the migrant smugglers and human traffickers' business model."

"However, it is clear that the legal and political pre-conditions have not been met," he added.

For the mission to be extended in that way, the task force would need to receive an invitation from the Libyan government and backing from the U.N. Security Council.

Operation Sophia recently has begun training dozens of Libyan coast guard members in the hope that they will be able to stop smugglers closer to Libya's coast. Credendino said an effective Libyan coast guard would be able to save more lives.

"Putting an end to illegal activity could also allow more legitimate activities to take space," he said.

Libya's economy has suffered badly since the 2011 ouster and slaying of longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi plunged the sprawling North African nation into chaos.

Today much of the country is controlled by a patchwork of armed groups, some of which are allied with a U.N.-backed government based in the capital, Tripoli, while others are allied with authorities based in the country's far east.
At least eight are killed in clashes in Tripoli, Libya.