Fighting in Tripoli

Following the death of Muammar Gaddafi in the NATO-backed intervention in 2011, Libya remained deeply divided and has been in an ongoing conflict ever since.563 The country is divided into two major spheres of influence: The northwest is controlled by the internationally recognized Government of National Accord (led by Prime Minister Abdelhamid Dabeiba), supported by powerful militias and foreign powers such as Turkey. The east, center, and south are controlled by the Libyan National Army (LNA), led by General Khalifa Haftar, supported by Russia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, and France. Political stalemate prevails, as the rival factions cannot agree on common elections or rules. Since 2014, there have been repeated armed clashes, and foreign powers are exacerbating the conflicts by supporting various sides. The population suffers from insecurity, economic instability, and human rights violations. Fighting has resumed, resulting in at least eight deaths, according to the United Nations, between an armed group allied with the government in Tripoli and factions seeking to crush it. There was no formal ceasefire, so the clashes largely ended last week. The Libyan Ministry of Defense said this week that efforts to broker a ceasefire were "underway." The AU called for a permanent ceasefire. Demonstrations in Tripoli had demanded the prime minister's resignation. The AU condemned this violence and called for an "unconditional and permanent ceasefire."