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Clashes break out in Tripoli between rival militias

Xinhua, December 3, 2016 Adjust font size:

Heavy clashes broke out between rival militias in the Libyan capital Tripoli on Thursday and Friday.

Explosions rocked Abu Salim and Al-Hadba districts, with heavily armed men stationed in several parts of the city, witnesses said.

Heavy fires and explosions could be heard all over Tripoli, where major roads have been blocked with shipping containers, residents said. Civilian casualties have been reported, but no official source could be reached for comment.

Martin Kobler, the head of the UN support mission in Libya, expressed concerns over the escalation of violence in Tripoli on Friday.

"It is completely unacceptable for armed groups to fight to assert their interest and control, particularly in residential areas, terrorizing the population," Kobler said. "We are in contact with the parties on the ground to urge an immediate end to this fighting."

Tripoli is controlled by armed factions independent from the authorities in the city.

Libya has been suffering escalating violence since the uprising that toppled former leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. Endit