Despite ceasefire arrangements nominally being in place, inter-militia violence and skirmishes have continued to take place in and around Tripoli over the last week.
On 17 September, the Health Services Support and Development Agency in Hay Andalus was raided by members of Mukhtar al-Jahawi’s Counterterrorism Force – Reserve Division for an unknown reason.
In the evening, armed men detained former Abu Salim mayor Abdurrahman al-Hamdi before releasing him the day after. Al-Hamdi was close to the powerful militia leader Abdul Ghani al-Kikli aka Ghinaywa, who was killed in May. He was allegedly arrested by the Internal Security Agency (ISA).
The National Institution for Human Rights in Libya (NIHRL) condemned the incident as a clear breach of human rights and an illegal case of arbitrary detention. It emphasized that no official body has acknowledged responsibility for al-Hamdi’s arrest, and noted that the ISA has publicly disavowed any role in the matter.
On 20 September in the morning, Rada skirmished with the Zintani-led Public Security Force near Martyr’s Square in Tripoli after two members of Rada were kidnapped by the Zintanis.
In the evening, a militia called the ‘Joint Force of Janzour’ led by Mahmoud Abu Jaafar stormed the HQ of the 6th Brigade near the Km 17 Bridge west of Tripoli.
Subsequently the 6th Brigade mobilized its troops and attacked Abu Jafaar’s militia, who in turn ordered reinforcements to join the fight. Both sides deployed a number of armoured vehicles and heavy infantry weapons. Fighting spread to densely populated neighborhoods of Janzour. Intensive clashes continued with some breaks until the early morning on the next day.
On 21 September in the morning, the 52nd Infantry Brigade intervened and stopped the fighting. The Government of National Unity (GNU) did not comment on the incident.