Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Israeli raids targeted a cement plant, an asphalt factory, and fuel tanks in the Ansar area in South Lebanon
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: A series of violent Israeli raids targeted the outskirts of the town of Ansar
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Israeli warplanes raided the outskirts of the town of Shmestar in Bekaa, eastern Lebanon
Donald Trump will speak with Russian leader Vladimir Putin on Thursday: White House
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in South Lebanon: Israeli warplanes raid the town of Bnaafoul, Saida district
YAF: Israeli enemy will pay for this crime.
Yemeni Armed Forces: Son of Major General Al-Ghamari martyred alongside him in Israeli aggression.
Yemeni Armed Forces: YAF mourns martyrdom of Chief of the General Staff Mohammad Abd al-Karim al-Ghamari.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Palestinian shot and killed by IOF east of Al-Bureij camp in the central Gaza Strip
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in South Lebanon: Occupation forces opened machine gun fire toward outskirts of Aitaroun as locals headed for olive harvest.

Bashagha, Dbeibeh exchange blame following Tripoli bloody clashes

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 28 Aug 2022 23:07
4 Min Read

Fathi Bashagha holds his rival Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh and his armed groups responsible for the bloodshed in Libya's capital, Tripoli.

  • x
  • 32 people were killed and 159 wounded during the fighting between rival armed groups (AP)
    32 people were killed and 159 were wounded during the fighting between rival armed groups (AP)

Libya's rival premiers on Sunday exchanged accusations over deadly clashes in Tripoli -- the worst in the capital since a landmark 2020 ceasefire, which sparked fears of a major new conflict.

The Libyan Health Ministry said 32 people were killed and 159 were wounded during the fighting between rival armed groups which began overnight Friday and continued into Saturday, setting buildings on fire and damaging several hospitals.

The fighting came after months of mounting tensions between backers of Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh and Fathi Bashagha, whose administrations are fighting for control of the oil-rich North African country.

Dbeibeh, whose government was installed in Tripoli in the country's west as part of a United Nations-led peace process last year, accused his rivals of responding to "foreign agendas".

Local media and experts said Bashagha had failed in what was his second attempt to dislodge his rival from the capital in three months. 

In a video address late Sunday, Dbeibeh lashed out at "criminals" and "putschists" who "waged war on the capital with tanks and heavy weapons."

He vowed to "go after all those involved" and to relocate the headquarters of some armed groups outside the city center.

Earlier, Bashagha, who was appointed by Libya's eastern-based parliament this year, held Dbeibeh, "his ruling family and his armed gangs" responsible for "the blood that flowed" in Tripoli, accusing them of wanting to cling onto power "at any cost."

Bashagha, a former Interior Minister, is backed by powerful eastern military chief Khalifa Haftar, whose 2019 attempt to seize the capital by force turned into a year-long conflict.

Dbeibeh has refused to cede power on the grounds that the next administration should be the product of elections.

Related News

Sarkozy sentenced to 5-year in prison in Libya financing trial

Libyan vessel joins global flotilla aiming to break Gaza blockade

A cautious calm

Libya plunged into chaos following the 2011 overthrow and killing of Muammar Gaddafi in a NATO-backed uprising, with a myriad of armed groups and foreign powers moving to fill the power vacuum.

A cautious calm had set in by Saturday evening, an AFP correspondent reported. Flights resumed and shops re-opened on Sunday.

Bashagha had initially ruled out the use of violence to take power in Tripoli but subsequently hinted that he could resort to force.

Certain armed groups, seen as neutral in the latest crisis, returned to support Dbeibeh this weekend to push back Bashagha.

The public prosecutor on Sunday asked the head of passports to issue travel bans against Bashagha, some of his ministers, and a former military intelligence official, according to a letter carried by local media.

Dbeibeh said earlier Sunday he would create two committees to survey the damage from the fighting.

Negotiations to avoid bloodshed in Tripoli collapsed

Dbeibeh's Government of National Unity said fighting had broken out after negotiations to avoid bloodshed in Tripoli collapsed. Bashagha denied such talks had taken place.

The UN Libya mission had called for "an immediate cessation of hostilities", deploring the "indiscriminate medium and heavy shelling in civilian-populated neighbourhoods."

Local media reported late Saturday that a group of pro-Bashagha forces that had been making their way to the capital from Misrata later turned back.

The fighting prompted several airlines to cancel flights to and from the capital, but flights resumed and shops reopened on Sunday morning. Educational institutions said student exams would go ahead on Monday.

On Saturday evening, Dbeibeh ordered the arrest of anyone involved in the "attack on Tripoli," both civilian and military.

  • Libya
  • Fathi Bashagha
  • Tripoli
  • abdul ham
  • misrata

Most Read

Iran strikes secret Israeli-US bunker under Tel Aviv high-rise

Tel Aviv high-rise struck by Iran hid Site 81, secret US-Israeli base

  • Politics
  • 14 Oct 2025
Palestinian journalist Saleh al-Jaafarawi in an undated image in Gaza, occupied Palestine (Social media)

Gaza Palestinian journalist Saleh al-Jafarawi killed by collaborators

  • Politics
  • 12 Oct 2025
drop site

New report details extensive Israeli arson in Gaza after ceasefire

  • Politics
  • 13 Oct 2025
Illustration of fists breaking shackles, representing the liberation of Palestinian detainees from Israeli prisons. (Illustrated by: AL Mayadeen English/Batoul Chamas)

4 prominent Palestinian detainees to be freed: Who are they?

  • Palestine
  • 13 Oct 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
The bodies of deceased Palestinians, held by Israel during the war, lie in plastic bags on the floor of Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, Gaza, following their release, Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025 (AP)
Politics

'Israel' returns 30 Palestinian bodies; some bear marks of torture

Gaza buried under 70 million tons of war debris as crisis deepens
Politics

Gaza buried under 70 million tons of debris, 20,000 lingering UXOs

Ex-White House adviser Ashley Tellis charged over secret files
Politics

Ex-White House advisor accused of amassing troves of top secret files

An Israeli soldier rests by a mobile artillery unit at a gathering point on the border with the Gaza Strip, in southern “Israel”, Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025. (AP)
Politics

Global arms bans isolate 'Israel', yet its war machine keeps running

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS