Libyan capital, Tripoli, saw some military build-ups on Monday evening, in addition to armed vehicles seen gathered in the center of the city, amid a charged atmosphere and expectations of clashes erupting between two armed factions affiliated with the Ministry of Interior.
According to eyewitnesses, the ongoing mobilizations are by the General Security Forces (a security battalion equipped with a large force founded by the current Minister of the Interior, Emad Al-Trabelsi), and the anti-illegal immigration apparatus headed by Mohammed Al-Khoja: the apparatus is also supposed to be affiliated with the Ministry of Interior.
Sources close to the apparatus said that it had withdrawn its forces from the streets after mediation by prominent security leaders, headed by the commander of the stability support apparatus, Abdul Ghani Al-Kakli (Ghaniwa).
The sources also confirmed that the tension that almost developed into armed clashes was caused by personal disputes between Al-Trabelsi and Al-Khoja, without revealing the nature of the dispute.
Meanwhile, the district of Tajoura saw clashes between the “Osood Tajoura” and “Rahbat Al-Duruoa” battalions on Sunday after some of the latter’s fighters were killed by members of the former. The issue quickly developed into clashes in which various types of weapons were used. The fighting stopped in the late hours of Sunday night after social mediation.
