On 14 October, clashes about the control of areas of influence occurred between gangs involved in begging and migrants from Black African and Arab countries in the vicinity of Semafro Omar al-Mukthar on the Coastal Road in Zawiyya.
On 16 October in the early morning, a series of violent clashes erupted following an apparent assassination attempt on a senior militia leader. At dawn, affiliates of Muhammed Bahroun aka al-Far reportedly targeted Muhammed Suleiman al-Fitouri aka ‘Charlie,’ the commander of the Zawiyya Reserve Force, and one of his close associates. Both men were seriously wounded when their vehicle was hit by gunfire, struck by an RPG and overturned near Refinery Road, a known flashpoint for armed conflict. They were rushed to a local hospital’s Intensive Care Unit.
There are conflicting reports regarding the identity of the attackers, with some attributing the gunfire near Refinery Bridge to unidentified African gunmen.
Immediately after the incident, several militias in Zawiyya mobilized their forces. Subsequently, severe fighting took place, including with heavy infantry weapons, between al-Far’s forces and members of the rival al-Kabwat militia near the Refinery Road and Refinery Bridge. Fighting spread westward from Refinery Bridge along the coastal road to the Awlad Saqr junction, prompting a citywide security alert and the suspension of school classes in affected areas due to stray gunfire and shelling.
Hassan Abu Zuriba, head of the Stabilization Support Agency (SSA), condemned the assassination and confirmed that al-Fitouri had been targeted, wounded and hospitalized. As calm gradually returned to Zawiyya, local leaders renewed calls for de-escalation.
On 17 October in the early hours, militias from al-Far and the Awlad Saqr clashed near Refinery Bridge. The fighting ended after dawn.