Heavily armed men have surrounded the offices of the Libyan government in Tripoli, while a militia threatened to cancel the upcoming presidential election, which the UN considers key to peace in the divided African country.
Photos and videos from Tripoli in the early hours of Wednesday showed armed men and combat vehicles outside the offices of Libya’s interim Government of National Unity (GNU) Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh, and there are reports of militants outside the office of Presidential Council head Mohammed al Menfi.
الان من امام رئاسة الوزراء بطريق السكة #طرابلس pic.twitter.com/uS7nI36Vhq
— تك يحرق كل شي (@tkyroogklshytk) December 15, 2021
Photo shows several technicals outside the office of the Prime Minister in Tripoli, Libya tonight after the Presidential Council dismissed the head of the Tripoli Military District. pic.twitter.com/dz7FRIUJc2
— Kyle Glen (@KyleJGlen) December 15, 2021
The move came after Dbeibah dismissed Abdel Baset Marwan as the commander of the Tripoli military district.
According to the Italian daily La Repubblica, two other militia leaders – Abdel Ghani al-Kikli of the Ghneiwa and Mustafa Ibrahim Gaddur of the Nawasi – went to al Menfi’s palace to protest the decision.