On 23 April, clashes broke out in the eastern part of Zawiyya between the First Support (Esnad) Battalion – led by Muhammed Bahroun (also known as ‘al-Far’, the ‘Mouse’) and affiliated to the Security Directorate of Zawiyya – and the Stability Support Apparatus (SSA) branch in the city, nominally affiliated to the Government of National Unity’s Ministry of Interior. The clashes reportedly began following a dispute which ended with Abdurazzaq Zaaet, a member of the First Support Battalion, being killed and two others wounded. This prompted the First Support Battalion to attack the SSA in Zawiyya with medium weapons and RPGs, resulting in four civilians reportedly being killed. On 24 April, a truce had been declared and emergency services attempted to rescue civilians trapped by the fighting. At the time of writing on 25 April, the truce appears to remain in place.
