On 6 July, the Government of National Accord (GNA) issued a decree instating the commander of the Zintan Special Operations Force, Emad Trabelsi, as the President of the General Security Directorate. On 7 July, fighters from the Nawasi Brigade, Ghneiwa forces, and Tripoli Revolutionaries Brigade, all aligned with the GNA, protested against the decision. There are conflicting reports of the location of the protests, with some suggesting it occurred outside the GNA headquarters at Tareeq al-Sikka while the Interior Minister Abdulsalam Ashour stated that it had occurred outside the Prime Minister’s headquarters but was contained and resolved. What placated the protestors is unknown.
On 7 July, clashes took place at around 18:00 local time between Abdelghani al-Kikli aka Ghneiwa forces from Abu Slim and a former militia leader under his command, Mahmoud Abu Azza al-Mashay, who controlled the ‘Protection Force Apparatus’ (which had been recently dissolved by Ghneiwa), at al-Hadba in Abu Salim and Tripoli’s airport road. The fighting began when Ghneiwa’s forces undertook a raid on the Combating Illegal Immigration headquarters, which Mashay controlled. Mashay was shot in the fighting and is reported to have later died in the hospital. Following the clashes, Ghneiwa reestablished control of the areas controlled by Mashay.