The violent clash between two opposing militia groups in Tripoli on Saturday claimed the lives of 32 people and injured 159, bringing back violence to the Libyan city. The two competing administrations - one located in the capital and the other authorised by a parliament in the country's east - are fighting for control over the North African country and its oil and trade resources.

Videos shared online showed dozens of cars and buildings damaged. Roads were reopened. However, after hours of raging violence, the city was back to normal.

The north African country has been in turmoil since Muammar Gaddafi was ousted and later murdered in 2011. The country is being contested by two regimes and is awaiting elections. The general election was to happen last year but got delayed due to clashes.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/libya-clashes-death-toll-rises-to-32-159-wounded-so-far-510981">Also read |&nbsp;Libya clashes: Death toll rises to 32, 159 wounded so far</a>

Armed local groups later took control of all economic resources in an effort to create chaos. However, in 2014, another parallel group was formed when the same year battle for Tripoli began and later acknowledged Khalifa Haftar as the leader. Later, in 2019, the UN-backed agreement led to an internationally recognised government but eastern forces, or Haftar’s force rejected it and attacked the capital. On the contrary, to support the Tripoli government, western groups banded together and were able to attack in 2020 with the help of Turkey, leading to ceasefires.

UN later made another peace agreement. The PM Abdulamid al-Ddeibah was assigned to oversee the elections in 2021. As there were no agreements on election rules, the process broke down.

Eastern Libya deemed Ddeibah’s administration and appointed a new head Fathi Bashagha. The former leader refused to transfer powers.

The western forces saw Bashagha as a chance of victory and united with Haftar’s eastern alliance. After being appointed, Bashagha was blocked by pro-Ddeibah while entering Tripoli. He made another attempt in May but was stopped again.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/libya-clashes-between-rival-group-rock-capital-510727">Also read |&nbsp;Libya: Clashes between rival armed groups rock capital Tripoli</a>

As months went by alliances and collation clashed encroaching each other’s territories. Pro-Bashagha started waging attacks when the fight broke out in an attempt to make him in charge of the capital.

Politicians have suggested making another administration. A permanent resolution to the country’s disputes appears to be distant.

A nation of nearly seven million people is still concerned that whatever the outcome of the upcoming rounds of discussions and positions will be, it would be followed by disputes.

(With inputs from agencies) 
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The violent clash between two opposing militia groups in Tripoli on Saturday claimed the lives of 32 people and injured 159, bringing back violence to the Libyan city.

The violent clash between two opposing militia groups in Tripoli on Saturday claimed the lives of 32 people and injured 159, bringing back violence to the Libyan city. The two competing administrations - one located in the capital and the other authorised by a parliament in the country's east - are fighting for control over the North African country and its oil and trade resources. Videos shared online showed dozens of cars and buildings damaged. Roads were reopened. However, after hours of raging violence, the city was back to normal. The north African country has been in turmoil since Muammar Gaddafi was ousted and later murdered in 2011. The country is being contested by two regimes and is awaiting elections. The general election was to happen last year but got delayed due to clashes. Also read | Libya clashes: Death toll rises to 32, 159 wounded so far Armed local groups later took control of all economic resources in an effort to create chaos. However, in 2014, another parallel group was formed when the same year battle for Tripoli began and later acknowledged Khalifa Haftar as the leader. Later, in 2019, the UN-backed agreement led to an internationally recognised government but eastern forces, or Haftar’s force rejected it and attacked the capital. On the contrary, to support the Tripoli government, western groups banded together and were able to attack in 2020 with the help of Turkey, leading to ceasefires. UN later made another peace agreement. The PM Abdulamid al-Ddeibah was assigned to oversee the elections in 2021. As there were no agreements on election rules, the process broke down. Eastern Libya deemed Ddeibah’s administration and appointed a new head Fathi Bashagha. The former leader refused to transfer powers. The western forces saw Bashagha as a chance of victory and united with Haftar’s eastern alliance. After being appointed, Bashagha was blocked by pro-Ddeibah while entering Tripoli. He made another attempt in May but was stopped again. Also read | Libya: Clashes between rival armed groups rock capital Tripoli As months went by alliances and collation clashed encroaching each other’s territories. Pro-Bashagha started waging attacks when the fight broke out in an attempt to make him in charge of the capital. Politicians have suggested making another administration. A permanent resolution to the country’s disputes appears to be distant. A nation of nearly seven million people is still concerned that whatever the outcome of the upcoming rounds of discussions and positions will be, it would be followed by disputes. (With inputs from agencies)

Libya clashes: Everything you need to know about the disputes in the country

Two years after a deal to form a unity government aimed at ending deep divisions between Libya&#39;s opposing sides, the country remains mired in crisis with no solution in sight.&nbsp;The UN-brokered agreement signed in Morocco in December 2015 establishing a Government of National Accord (GNA) &nbsp;brought hopes of an easing of chaos that followed the 2011 revolution.

But Libya has remained riven by divisions between the GNA in Tripoli led by Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj and a rival administration backed by military strongman Khalifa Haftar in the east.&nbsp;The GNA&#39;s position risks being further undermined by the expiry of its mandate -- which under the 2015 accord was for one year and renewable only once -- on December 17.

Instead of healing rifts, experts say the deal actually deepened tensions in the North African country.&nbsp;&quot;I think it has never been the real solution for the country&quot;, said Federica Saini Fasanotti, an analyst with the Washington-based Brookings Institution.

The agreement &quot;has never been recognised by the Libyan people&quot;, she added.&nbsp;Years of political turmoil have followed the overthrow and killing of Libya&#39;s long-time dictator Muammar Gaddafi in the 2011 revolution.&nbsp;

People-smugglers took advantage of the chaos to turn the country into a major gateway for migrants heading to Europe, while Islamic State group jihadists also established a foothold.&nbsp;Underscoring the insecurity plaguing the country, the mayor of Libya&#39;s third-largest city Misrata was killed by unidentified assailants who abducted him on Sunday as he returned from an official trip overseas.

&#39;Dangerous turning point&#39;

Since its arrival in Tripoli in March 2016, the GNA has failed to stamp its authority across large parts of the country, controlled by dozens of militias of shifting allegiances.&nbsp;Its legitimacy was questioned from the very start by its rivals and it was unable to secure a confidence vote by Libya&#39;s elected parliament based in the east of the country.

Haftar, who has never recognised the GNA&#39;s authority, said on Sunday that the &quot;expiry of the Libyan political accord&quot; on December 17 marked a &quot;historic and dangerous turning point&quot;.&nbsp;&quot;All bodies resulting from this agreement automatically lose their legitimacy, which has been contested from the first day they took office&quot;, he said.

Saini Fasanotti, however, does not see major repercussions from the end of the GNA&#39;s mandate.&nbsp;&quot;The GNA, in my opinion, has never been a real political actor in Libya, so I do not think that the situation will change a lot at the moment in the Libya arena&quot;, she said.

Haftar is accused by his opponents of wanting to take power and establish a military dictatorship.&nbsp;Haftar wanted to take advantage of the end of the mandate of the unity government to stage &quot;a coup&quot;, a GNA official who did not want to be named told AFP.

&quot;But threats that were directly addressed to him by the international community dissuaded him&quot;, the official added.&nbsp;Haftar acknowledged as much on Sunday, saying he was &quot;threatened with firm international measures&quot; if he dared to take initiatives outside the framework set up by the international community and the United Nations.

The UN Security Council last week insisted the 2015 deal remains the &quot;only viable framework to end the Libyan political crisis&quot; and prepare for elections.

&#39;Double edge weapon&#39;

According to Issandr El Amrani at the International Crisis Group (ICG) think-tank, Haftar does not have &quot;sufficient strength or support&quot; to take power in Libya.&nbsp;&quot;He faces particularly strong opposition from (rivals in) the west, he said, especially in Misrata&quot;, 200 kilometers east of Tripoli and home to Libya&#39;s most powerful armed groups.

UN envoy Ghassan Salame presented a plan to the UN Security Council in September to hold legislative and presidential elections next year.&nbsp;Analysts are however sceptical the elections will be successful.&nbsp;

&quot;Elections can be a double edge weapon because they can increase the frictions among the competitors and their followers. I am not sure that at this very moment they are the best solution&quot;, Saini Fasanotti said.&nbsp;The ICG&#39;s Amrani believes that &quot;without an improvement in the relationship between Haftar and (groups in) the west, especially Misrata, it will be difficult to hold credible elections&quot;. 
&nbsp;

The UN-brokered agreement signed in Morocco in December 2015 established a Government of National Accord (GNA) but Libya has remained riven by divisions between the GNA in Tripoli led by Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj and a rival administration backed by military strongman Khalifa Haftar in the east

Two years after a deal to form a unity government aimed at ending deep divisions between Libya's opposing sides, the country remains mired in crisis with no solution in sight. The UN-brokered agreement signed in Morocco in December 2015 establishing a Government of National Accord (GNA) brought hopes of an easing of chaos that followed the 2011 revolution. But Libya has remained riven by divisions between the GNA in Tripoli led by Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj and a rival administration backed by military strongman Khalifa Haftar in the east. The GNA's position risks being further undermined by the expiry of its mandate -- which under the 2015 accord was for one year and renewable only once -- on December 17. Instead of healing rifts, experts say the deal actually deepened tensions in the North African country. "I think it has never been the real solution for the country", said Federica Saini Fasanotti, an analyst with the Washington-based Brookings Institution. The agreement "has never been recognised by the Libyan people", she added. Years of political turmoil have followed the overthrow and killing of Libya's long-time dictator Muammar Gaddafi in the 2011 revolution. People-smugglers took advantage of the chaos to turn the country into a major gateway for migrants heading to Europe, while Islamic State group jihadists also established a foothold. Underscoring the insecurity plaguing the country, the mayor of Libya's third-largest city Misrata was killed by unidentified assailants who abducted him on Sunday as he returned from an official trip overseas. 'Dangerous turning point' Since its arrival in Tripoli in March 2016, the GNA has failed to stamp its authority across large parts of the country, controlled by dozens of militias of shifting allegiances. Its legitimacy was questioned from the very start by its rivals and it was unable to secure a confidence vote by Libya's elected parliament based in the east of the country. Haftar, who has never recognised the GNA's authority, said on Sunday that the "expiry of the Libyan political accord" on December 17 marked a "historic and dangerous turning point". "All bodies resulting from this agreement automatically lose their legitimacy, which has been contested from the first day they took office", he said. Saini Fasanotti, however, does not see major repercussions from the end of the GNA's mandate. "The GNA, in my opinion, has never been a real political actor in Libya, so I do not think that the situation will change a lot at the moment in the Libya arena", she said. Haftar is accused by his opponents of wanting to take power and establish a military dictatorship. Haftar wanted to take advantage of the end of the mandate of the unity government to stage "a coup", a GNA official who did not want to be named told AFP. "But threats that were directly addressed to him by the international community dissuaded him", the official added. Haftar acknowledged as much on Sunday, saying he was "threatened with firm international measures" if he dared to take initiatives outside the framework set up by the international community and the United Nations. The UN Security Council last week insisted the 2015 deal remains the "only viable framework to end the Libyan political crisis" and prepare for elections. 'Double edge weapon' According to Issandr El Amrani at the International Crisis Group (ICG) think-tank, Haftar does not have "sufficient strength or support" to take power in Libya. "He faces particularly strong opposition from (rivals in) the west, he said, especially in Misrata", 200 kilometers east of Tripoli and home to Libya's most powerful armed groups. UN envoy Ghassan Salame presented a plan to the UN Security Council in September to hold legislative and presidential elections next year. Analysts are however sceptical the elections will be successful. "Elections can be a double edge weapon because they can increase the frictions among the competitors and their followers. I am not sure that at this very moment they are the best solution", Saini Fasanotti said. The ICG's Amrani believes that "without an improvement in the relationship between Haftar and (groups in) the west, especially Misrata, it will be difficult to hold credible elections".

Libya in grip of chaos two years after unity deal

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Libya clashes: Everything you need to know about the disputes in the country

Libya in grip of chaos two years after unity deal