TRIPOLI, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- Heavy armed clashes broke out early Thursday in the city of Zawiya, located about 60 km west of the capital Tripoli, following an assassination attempt on Mohamed Suleiman Al-Fitouri, commander of the Reserve Force under the internationally recognized Government of National Unity (GNU).
According to local newspaper Al-Marsad, Al-Fitouri and his associate Abdul Rahman sustained serious injuries after being shot on the coastal road by an armed group, triggering violent confrontations between factions reportedly affiliated with the same government.
The clashes caused widespread panic among civilians, led to the closure of several main roads, and prompted the suspension of classes in multiple schools due to the deteriorating security situation.
Authorities under the GNU have not yet issued an official statement regarding the clashes.
According to Al-Marsad, local schools near the conflict zones announced the suspension of classes on Thursday morning. Libyan TV channel Al-Masar cited security sources confirming that Al-Fitouri, who also serves as head of the Stability Support Agency branch in Zawiya, was admitted to intensive care after being shot directly.
The identities of the attackers remain unknown.
Sources indicated that the incident highlights the scale of chaos and security deterioration in the city, with streets turning into open battlegrounds between armed factions allegedly under the same government. The clashes underscore rising competition and struggles for influence among security groups within the GNU in western Libya.
Recently, cities in western Libya have witnessed an increase in targeted killings and disputes between security agencies, amid growing allegations of foreign mercenary involvement in executions and power struggles among armed leadership, in the absence of a unified central authority capable of stabilizing the security situation.
Since 2011, Libya has been mired in chaos and deep political divisions, with two rival governments: one internationally recognized -- the GNU headed by Abdul Hamid Dbeibah and based in Tripoli, which controls the western region, and another appointed by the House of Representatives (parliament), led by Osama Hammad and based in Benghazi, which controls the eastern region and parts of the south. ■
