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Fierce overnight clashes between rival armed factions in Libya’s capital prompted urgent warnings from authorities as tensions flared once again in the war-scarred nation.

The Libyan Ministry of Interior on Monday night called on Tripoli residents to remain indoors amid escalating violence between competing militias, saying, “The Ministry of Interior urges all citizens in Tripoli to stay in their homes and not go outside in order to ensure their safety.”

Officials have yet to report casualties or injuries from the fighting, which reportedly broke out in the city’s southern suburbs between forces based in Tripoli and rival factions from Misrata, a coastal city 200 kilometers (125 miles) east of the capital..

Local media said the clashes disrupted daily life across several districts, prompting school closures in affected neighborhoods. Libya Al-Ahrar TV reported that flights at Tripoli’s Mitiga Airport were redirected to Misrata due to the violence.

The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) said it was closely monitoring the situation and urged a return to dialogue. “We call on all parties to de-escalate and refrain from any provocation,” the mission said. The U.S. Embassy in Tripoli echoed this call for calm and restraint.

Libya remains divided between the UN-recognized Government of National Unity (GNU) in Tripoli and a rival administration in the east, backed by the powerful Haftar family. Despite relative calm in recent years, periodic clashes among armed groups continue to destabilize the capital, with militias vying for influence and territorial control.

The latest violence recalls the deadly fighting in August 2023 between two powerful militias in Tripoli that left 55 people dead and dozens more injured.

Libya has struggled to rebuild since the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that toppled longtime ruler Moamer Kadhafi, with competing governments and armed factions preventing lasting peace and national reconciliation.

May 13, 2025 01:10 AM GMT+03:00