Libya violence death toll at 45: Tentative calm returns as security forces fan out across Tripoli

In the Libyan capital‘s most intense violence this year, clashes erupted late on Monday between two of the largest militias operating in Tripoli – the 444 brigade and the Special Deterrence Force – and stretched into Tuesday evening.

No Information On How Many Of The Dead Were Civilians

The death toll rose to 45 on Wednesday, up from 27 reported Tuesday, said Malek Merset, the spokesperson for Libya’s Emergency Medicine and Support Centre. It remains unclear how many of the dead were civilians or militiamen. 146 others sustained injuries in the violence.

Tensions flared after an alleged detention of Mahmoud Hamza, a senior commander of the 444 brigade, by the rival group at an airport, according to local media reports. Hamza was later released as part of an agreement aimed at containing the violence, the reports added.

Libyan security forces spread out across Tripoli on Wednesday and patrolled the streets. Forces were deployed to areas where the clashes were most violent, according to the country’s Interior Ministry. A situation room had also been set up to monitor the attack.

Tentative Calm Returns To Tripoli By Wednesday

The deadly militia clashes highlighted the fragility of Libya following the 2011 uprising turned civil war, that eventually led to the death of longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi. Amid the disturbance, militias grew in power and wealth.

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Since 2014, the country has been divided between opposing administrations in the east and the west, each backed by well-armed militias and different foreign governments. In a statement on Wednesday, the EU called on all parties to avoid armed hostilities and to engage in dialogue.

The Libyan capital has encountered similar episodes of violence in recent years. But most of them have only lasted a few hours. Clashes from last August between two separate militia active in Tripoli killed at least 23 people.