PM leaves Libya amid clashes

AN attempt by one of Libya’s rival prime ministers to seat his government in the capital of Tripoli triggered clashes on Tuesday between competing militias, forcing the newly appointed premier to leave the city. The development underscored the fragility of the situation in the war-wracked country.

Prime Minister Fathi Bashagha’s office said he had arrived in Tripoli with a number of Cabinet ministers early on Tuesday – three months after his appointment to lead an interim government.

His arrival was likely to fuel more tensions between Libya’s rival administrations. In the morning, local media reported clashes between different militias and rival forces supporting the two sides in central Tripoli and elsewhere in the city.

In earlier video comments, Bashagha claimed the “reception was excellent”, and stressed that his government was ready to work with all Libyans, including those opposing him.

There was no comment on his arrival from the government of embattled Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, who is based in Tripoli.

Later on Tuesday, Bashagha’s office said he and his ministers left Tripoli “for the sake of the security and safety of citizens and to stop the bloodshed”.

The UN special adviser on Libya, Stephanie Williams, urged calm and for rival parties to engage in talks to resolve their disputes.

“Conflict cannot be solved with violence, but with dialogue and mediation,” she tweeted, adding that the United Nations is ready to host all parties “in helping Libya find a genuine, consensual way forward towards stability and elections”.