A regular military force affiliated with the Libyan authorities managed to separate conflicting armed groups in the city of Zawiya, in the west of the country, and succeeded in imposing a cease-fire after repeated clashes in the city during the past weeks.
Since the end of last month, clashes have been breaking out between armed groups in the city of Zawiya (40 km) west of the capital, Tripoli, against the backdrop of a struggle for influence.
“Immediately after the outbreak of clashes in the city of Zawiya, and based on higher military instructions, we moved to the sites of clashes and conflict between armed groups, and with the efforts of benefactors, elders and sheikhs of the city, a ceasefire was concluded,” Brigadier General Akram Dawa, spokesman for the force charged with resolving the conflict, told AFP on Sunday.
“A military force has been deployed to the conflict sites to separate the disputants and ensure that clashes do not recur, while referring the causes of their outbreak to the competent authorities,” Dawa added.
Clashes with light and medium weapons in Al-Zawiya last Thursday and Friday killed two people and injured two others, according to local media.
The city of Zawiya is one of the largest cities in which African immigrants spread. The coasts of the city are among the most active Libyan areas for human trafficking networks that transport migrants by sea.
It is also classified as one of the most western cities in the country that witnesses conflicts between rival armed groups.
Since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi’s regime in 2011, Libya has plunged into chaos and divisions, with two governments competing for power, one based in Tripoli (west) and recognized by the United Nations, and another based in the east supported by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar’s camp and the House of Representatives.
