Over the course of the last week, there were again a number of violent incidents in Tripoli. On 19 August, the Tripoli Security Directorate Support Force stated that their patrols in Abu Slim were attacked with an RPG for the third time this week. The following day, also in Abu Slim, a patrol of the Public Security Force came under RPG fire.
On 22 August, a patrol of the Public Security Force was attacked the al-Serraj district by an armed group from Zawiya. Thereafter, the Public Security Force mobilized its troops, but the situation did not further escalate. The Public Security Force, led by a brother of Minister of Interior Emad Trabelsi, is frequently accused of involvement in armed robberies and burglaries, including in some high-profile cases.
On 25 August, a patrol of the Tripoli Security Directorate Support Force was fired upon from a vehicle near al-Khadra Hospital.
Also the same day, the bodies of three soldiers from Misrata, members of the 136th Battalion, were found in their burned-out vehicle in Ramla, south of Tripoli. Given the circumstances, an accident seems unlikely. Some rumours claim, that the Misratis were kidnapped and killed by members of Rada Force.
On 22 August, Bashir al-Bugra’s 51st Infantry Brigade aka Rahbat al-Daraa Brigade held a military parade with a larger number of heavy weapons, T-55 tanks, and artillery in Tajoura. The brigade claimed that this was not a demonstration of power against anyone, but any attempt to celebrate Tripoli’s Liberation Day during the 2011 Uprisings which took place on 20-22 August 2011.
On the morning of 24 August, Muhammar al-Dhawi, commander of the 55th (Warshifana) Battalion survived an assassination attempt near his house. According to the social media of the 55th Battalion, 12 of the attackers were killed, without any casualties taken by the 55th. According to other sources, at least one close confident of al-Dhawi was killed. It is worth remembering that another Warshifana militia leader, a rival of al-Dhawi was murdered recently. Therefore, it is plausible that the assassination attempt was some kind of revenge.
On 24 August, the Electoral Commission’s headquarters in Hadbha was evacuated following a threat from unknown individuals who claimed they will target the building and kidnap its staff. Also in Tajoura, al-Qarabulli (east of Tripoli), and in several other locations, protesters temporarily blocked the Coastal Road because of the frequent power outages.