On 10 March, armed groups from Misrata, Wershafana, and Zawiyya aligned to House of Representatives (HoR) appointed Prime Minister Fathi Bashaagha and his Government of National Stability (GNS) attempted to enter Tripoli to assume power from the incumbent Government of National Unity (GNU) Prime Minister Abdul Hameed Dabaiba. This followed Bashaagha’s announcement on 8 March that he would enter the capital in 48 hours. The advance of the pro-GNS forces into the capital was thwarted by the mobilisation of GNU-aligned armed groups who blocked roads leading to the capital with sandbags and berms, to prevent Bashaagha’s forces from entering. In response to the mobilisations and movement of large convoys of armed groups on 10 March, the US Ambassador to Libya, Richard Norland, held a telephone call with Bashaagha urging him to calm tensions and maintain stability in Tripoli. Despite high tensions, the situation in the capital was deescalated, and no clashes were reported.
