On the evening of 27 August, there were angry street protests in Tripoli and elsewhere in western Libya following Government of National Unity (GNU) Foreign Minister Najla al-Mangoush’s meeting with Israeli foreign minister Eli Cohen. A house near Mitiga used by Prime Minister Abdul Hameed Dabaiba for talks with visiting officials was attacked by protestors from Souq al-Jumaa and set on fire, while there was damage outside the Foreign Ministry. There were also heated protests in Zawiyya with protestors burning the Israeli flag and calling for the removal of Dabaiba. Ironically, but not surprisingly, one area where generally there were no protests was eastern Libya. Nor has there been any comment from Libyan National Army (LNA) Commander Khalifa Haftar.
Protests continued on the evening of 28 August, with protestors closing the main coastal road between Zawiyya and Tripoli calling for Dabaiba’s removal. Burning tires were also used to close some roads in Tripoli. Abdussalam al-Zubi’s 111 Brigade reportedly sent armoured vehicles from southern Tripoli to the city centre to support the government, and vehicles led by GNU Minister of Interior Emad Trabelsi opened fire in Ghout al-Shaal in western Tripoli to disperse the protesters.