Libyan capital Tripoli sees clash between armed groups

Libyan capital Tripoli on Monday was witness to hours of fighting between two armed groups. Both the groups are aligned with the divided country's UN-backed government, as per reports in local media.

Several residents in the city were lightly wounded in the clashes which began Sunday night and spread across several neighbourhoods.

Fighters from rival militias -- the Al-Raada Force and the 444 Brigade, both of which are loyal to interim Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah's Tripoli-based government -- clashed after a member of the 444 Brigade was arrested.

TV and online media showed videos of the fighting which were posted by social media users.

An elderly man "was injured in the arm by shrapnel as he fled his home in Ain Zara by car", the Tripoli Rescue Service said on its Facebook page, also condemning damage to ambulances during the gun battles.

Armoured vehicles, ambulances

Armoured vehicles along with fighters could be seen deploying in Jrabra Street. It is a busy commercial area in the capital's east. Such activity was also seen in central Ras Hassan residential district.

After a lull in the fighting, heavy and light weapons fire was heard, along with ambulance sirens, in the eastern suburbs of Ain Zara and Fornaj until 3:00 am (0100 GMT) Monday, according to an AFP correspondent.

The University of Tripoli said Monday it was forced to "close its doors" and suspend exams as a security measure.

The fighting was reportedly halted after the intervention of another armed group that is responsible for security, the Stabilisation Support Agency.

Libya is split between Dbeibah's United Nations-backed government in the west and another in the east backed by military strongman Khalifa Haftar.

The oil-rich country was plunged into years of chaos after a NATO-backed uprising toppled and killed strongman Moamer Kadhafi in 2011.

In the month of August last year, thirty two people were killed and 159 wounded in Libyan capital after groups supporting the Haftar-backed government fought with Dbeiba's forces.

The latest Tripoli fighting comes after Dbeibah's government carried out drone strikes since Thursday near the western city of Zawiya, claimed to be on targets connected to fuel and drug smuggling and people trafficking.

(With inputs from agencies)

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