Intense fighting erupted in the Libyan capital overnight and lasted into Saturday, with rival factions exchanging heavy gunfire and the sounds of several loud blasts ricocheting around the city.
The clashes are taking place in Tripoli’s city center after one of the capital’s strongest groups assaulted the base of a rival force, witnesses said, leading to hours of shooting that terrified locals and raised fears of a wider escalation.
It was not clear whether the fighting was directly linked to Libya’s wider political standoff over control of the government, but any clashes between powerful Tripoli groups could risk drawing in other factions. It seems that the street battles are still going on now.