The clashes south of the capital Tripoli, which have killed 13 and 52 were wounded, including women and children, according to the statistics of the Health Ministry’s Central Operating Chamber, dominated this week’s news reports on Libya.
The European Union called Thursday, on all Libyan parties to respect the ceasefire and hold accountable those who threaten the stability of the political process. “The fighting in southern Tripoli violates the cease-fire agreement held in Zawia in September last year, under the sponsorship of the United Nations,” the EU said in a statement. It also reaffirmed its support for the efforts of the Minister of Interior in cooperation with the UN Mission to implement the security arrangements announced by the Presidential Council and restore security in the capital. Libya Observer
Meanwhile the Department of Wounded Affairs of the Ministry of Health confirmed the evacuation of 210 families on Thursday, from confrontation areas in Sabia and Souk Al-Khamis south of Tripoli. “A safe corridor was established after receiving numerous distress calls from areas of clashes, the department clarified,” adding that the process was conducted in collaboration with the Field Medicine and Support Centre of the operation chamber. The Ministry of Health disclosed yesterday evening the increasing of casualties resulting from the fresh clashes in southern Tripoli to 13 fatalities and 52 wounded, among them women and children. Libya Observer
The East-based Libyan self-styled army forces loyal to Khalifa Haftar have launched a military operation in southern Libya to secure oil and gas facilities and fight extremists, a spokesman said on Tuesday. “We announce the start of an operation to liberate the south,” the spokesman Ahmed Mismari told reporters in Benghazi. He said the operation’s goals included protecting local and foreign oil firms, fighting Islamic State and other extremists, and tackling illegal migration. He gave few other details about the initiative, but any advance on oilfields in the south by Haftar’s forces could be opposed by Libya’s internationally recognised administration in Tripoli, which lies in the west of the country. – Libyan Herald
An Al-Qaeda leader known as “Abu Talha Al-Libi” has been killed in an operation near Sabha, southern Libya, the Libyan National Army said Friday. “Abu Talha Al-Libi” was killed on Friday morning after a raid on a house he was sharing with other armed men in an area called Al-Qarda Al-Shati, close to Sabha in southern Libya, Al Arabiya reported. Two other militants, among them one Egyptian, were also killed in the operation in southwestern Libya, LNA spokesman Ahmed Mismari said. Abu Talha was arrested in 1996 by the Libyan security services for an attempt to assassinate Muammar Qaddafi. – Arab News
A freelance photographer who works for the Associated Press was killed in clashes between rival militias in the Libyan capital Tripoli, a government official and family said.
Mohamed Ben Khalifa died of a random shell in the Libyan capital while covering the clashes.
The fighting broke out this week, breaching a shaky ceasefire brokered by the United Nations in September. Reuters
