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Source: Dubai – Arabia.net
The events in the Libyan capital, Tripoli, did not stop a week ago with the start of the demonstrations last Sunday, but the last two days have witnessed radical developments, with the removal of the Minister of the Interior in the Government of National Accord , Fathi Bashagha, who is expected to appear Sunday for investigation.
However, the military parade that accompanied his arrival in the capital on Saturday from Turkey, with the protection of some 300 military vehicles that had come to the Matiqa base to accompany him, indicates the possibility of another round of escalation between him and the Al-Wefaq boss Fayez Al-Sarraj and the militias that support both parties in the capital.
Video clips were released in recent hours, showing a member of the militia supporting the ousted Interior Minister threatening Al-Sarraj’s militia and vowing to attack them in their backyard in the capital.
Bashagha suspended from work
It should be noted that the Government of National Accord announced on Friday night that the Minister of the Interior had been suspended from work as a precautionary measure and that he would be referred to an administrative investigation, because armed men shot at peaceful protesters in the capital La last week.
Al-Wefaq’s Presidential Council said in a statement that it had decided “to prevent Interior Minister Fathi Ali Bashagha from working and appearing for an administrative investigation before the Presidential Council within 72 hours of the date of this decision “.
Fathi Bashagha at Tripoli Mitiga Airport (Archives – France Press)
He added that the minister will be investigated “in relation to the permits, permits and the provision of necessary protection to the protesters and the statements issued by him about the demonstrations and the resulting events that took place in Tripoli and some other cities during the past week, and the violations committed against the protesters will be investigated. “
The council also decided to “assign the undersecretary of the Interior Ministry, Brigadier Khaled Ahmed Al-Tijani Mazen, to take over the functions of the ministry.”
The minister requires
On the other hand, the suspended minister rushed to announce his compliance with the decision, demanding that the investigation session be public and televised.
It is noteworthy that hundreds of Libyans have demonstrated daily since Sunday in Tripoli to protest against corruption, deterioration of public services, frequent power and water cuts and fuel shortages.
Fathi Bashagha, Minister of the Interior in the Government of National Accord (Archives – Reuters)
During these demonstrations, armed men opened fire on the protesters, wounding some of them.
Bashagha announced that the attack on the protesters was carried out “by an armed group, using their weapons and firing random bullets and using machine guns and cannons,” denouncing “the kidnapping of some protesters, hiding them by force and causing panic among the citizenship”.
According to testimonies and videos posted on social media, armed groups cordoned off the Martyrs Square in the center of Tripoli and opened fire to disperse the protesters.
Security forces loyal to Bashagha in Tripoli (Archive – Reuters)
Clash of wings
Notably, the decision to arrest Bashagha coincided with escalating disputes between Al-Sarraj and the Interior Minister, who is supported by the militias in the city of Misurata, a port and a military center.
While Bashagha has the support of the Misrata-affiliated militias, from which he comes, other militias support him in support of the hostile Sarraj.
Gunmen in the streets of Tripoli, Libya (Archive – Reuters)
There are long-standing tensions between the Tripoli and Misrata militias. The armed groups of Misrata dominated the capital for several years after the division of Libya into two wings in the west and east of the country in 2014, then the power of the capital’s militias began to grow at the expense of the second.
In the same context, Al-Arabiya sources reported early Sunday morning that Turkey sent a security delegation to Libya to contain the conflict between Al-Sarraj and Bashagha.
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