Defections hit Tripoli's terrorist militias before historic entitlement
The specter of division hangs over
Tripoli’s terrorist militias shortly before the start of the Libyan
presidential elections, which are scheduled to be held on December 24.
In the latest pictures of the split
between militias in western Tripoli, a Brotherhood leader was assaulted by
gunmen, in an incident that revealed the hidden conflict between the militias.
Mahmoud
Abdelaziz al-Werfalli
According to the Libya 24 News website,
Brotherhood leader Mahmoud Abdel Aziz al-Werfalli, a former member of the
General National Congress, was assaulted by members of armed militias in the
Abu Salim district of Tripoli.
Although Werfalli was beaten by
members of armed militias, the High Council of State headed by Brotherhood
leader Khaled al-Mishri, in addition to the terrorist Libyan Fighting Group,
condemned the incident in a paradox that reveals divisions within the militia
camp in Tripoli.
Werfalli is exploiting his program
on the Al-Tanasuh channel, which is affiliated with exiled Brotherhood mufti
Sadiq Al-Ghariani, to alienate Libyans from the elections, as he described the
election laws as “flawed” and called for their suspension.
The attempt of a former General
National Congress member to hand over electoral cards to people who did not
receive them, for which he was beaten, was considered by the High National
Elections Commission in Libya as an interference in its affairs and an
infringement of its powers.
Struggles and splits
At the
end of June, the Al-Far militia in Al-Zawiya led by Mohamed Bahron, who is one
of the militia leaders close to Mishri, launched an attack on the city of
Al-Ajaylat in western Libya as part of a Turkish-Brotherhood scheme to
establish a “militia belt” in Tripoli and to expel militias that do not owe
allegiance to the Brotherhood and Turkey.
Bloody
clashes took place at the time between the Al-Far militia and the Mohammad
Baraka militia, also known as Al-Shalfouh, the most prominent of the militias
in the city of Al-Ajaylat.
The
Al-Far militia, which is wanted in connection with terrorism cases, is
stationed in the city of Al-Zawiya, while the Al-Shalfouh militia is stationed
in the city of Al-Ajaylat.
In
July, Tripoli witnessed conflicts and defections of militias, as the city of
Al-Zawiya witnessed armed clashes between the militia led by Bahron, the Nasr
militia led by Mohamed Kashlaf al-Qasab, known as “the Emperor of Smuggling”,
and Caboat militia led by Ruby, near the Zawia refinery and Rakina Island.
In
those clashes, medium and heavy weapons were used, and the militias closed the
roads next to the Yarmouk camp south of Tripoli, amid security tension that
ignited an armed clash between the militias.
Historic entitlement
The
High Electoral Commission said in a statement that carrying out the
investigation and interrogation process for members of the electoral center
committees and filming inside them without the authority that carried out such
practices approved by the Commission is in violation of the provisions of the
regulations for media representatives attached to the decision of the
Commission Council, which clarifies conditions and procedures for accrediting
local and international media representatives and clarifies their rights and
duties so that they can carry out their duties in accordance with the
regulating laws and legislation.
The
Commission called for contributing to the achievement of this “historic
entitlement”, rejecting violence, hate speech and sedition, and spreading a
spirit of optimism and positivity, saying, “Today, without exception, we are
facing a difficult test.”
