At least 20 killed as militias clash

BENGHAZI, Libya — Heavily armed Libyan militias clashed in Tripoli on Monday, killing at least 20 people and forcing the capital’s only airport to close, officials said.

The Health Ministry said another 63 people were wounded in the fighting between two militias that are ostensibly allied with the internationally-backed government, underscoring the lingering instability in the country seven years after a popular uprising toppled dictator Moammar Gadhafi.

Civilians were among the dead, including an airline employee who was trying to get home after Matiga airport shut down. An airport official said staffers were evacuated from Matiga airport and that five flights have been cancelled. A picture posted on the airport’s Facebook page showed a passenger plane with its roof blown off.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the press.

The Special Deterrent Force, a militia which controls the airport, was fighting a rival militia led by local strongman Bashir al-Baqara. Both are allied with the internationally recognized government in Tripoli. A rival government and parliament rule in Libya’s east, but across the country real power is held by a dizzying array of armed groups.

The Presidency Council — one of the three ruling bodies in Tripoli — said al-Baqara’s men wanted to release suspected al-Qaida and Islamic State members held at a prison near the airport that is also run by the Special Deterrent Force. The government has ordered alBaqara’s men to hand over their weapons and disband.