Deadly street battles erupted in Tripoli after a key militia leader was gunned down, plunging the Libyan capital into chaos and reviving fears of deeper unrest. Officials confirmed that at least six people were killed as explosions and heavy gunfire echoed through the city.
The violent clashes, which dragged from Monday night into early Tuesday, broke out in the Abu Salim district in southern Tripoli, according to officials familiar with the incident.
The flashpoint for the confrontation was the assassination of Abdel-Ghani al-Kikli — better known as “Gheniwa” — who headed the powerful Stabilization Support Authority (SSA). A senior official from both the health and government sectors said he was killed by a rival faction during a confrontation at a compound controlled by the 444 Brigade.
RELATED STORIES
READ ALSO: Over 100 dead: what insiders say about the northern Burkina Faso jihadi massacre
The SSA, a coalition of armed factions that grew into a dominant force in western Libya, has long been associated with serious human rights abuses. Amnesty International has accused al-Kikli of committing war crimes and other violations dating back more than ten years.
Watch a recent episode of The BreakDown podcast below and subscribe to our channel PanaGenius TV for latest episodes.
His death reportedly occurred at a facility under the command of Mahmoud Hamza, leader of the 444 Brigade and a close ally of Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah. Following al-Kikli’s killing, fighters loyal to Hamza launched coordinated assaults on SSA bases across Tripoli, seizing weapons, vehicles, and detaining numerous fighters, officials said under the condition of anonymity for security reasons.
The Health Ministry’s Ambulance and Emergency Services confirmed in a statement that six people had died around Abu Salim, where SSA forces were entrenched. Emergency crews also helped evacuate civilians caught in the crossfire.
Residents described the fighting as intense and widespread, with armed convoys roaming the streets and explosions rocking several neighborhoods.
“It was a nightmare,” said Ahmed Ammer, a resident of central Tripoli. He likened the chaos to the brutal civil war that gripped Libya after Muammar Gaddafi’s fall in 2011.
Although gunfire had largely ceased by Tuesday morning, Ammer said the atmosphere remained volatile, with militias still visible across the city.
The violence forced the closure of schools and universities, with the Ministry of Education halting classes and the University of Tripoli suspending all activities until further notice.
Prime Minister Dbeibah’s administration announced on social media that its forces had launched a “military operation” in Abu Salim and claimed full control of the district. The government offered no additional context.
The United Nations Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) condemned the violence, raising concerns over the use of “heavy weaponry in densely populated civilian areas” and warning that “attacks on civilians and civilian objects may amount to war crimes.”
This latest surge in violence highlights Libya’s fragile state, where rule of law remains elusive and armed factions operate with impunity. Since the 2011 uprising, Tripoli and much of western Libya have been dominated by militias that expanded their influence and wealth amid a divided political landscape.
The country remains split between two rival governments: Dbeibah’s internationally recognized administration in the west, and a separate government in the east led by Prime Minister Ossama Hammad, each propped up by various armed groups and foreign backers.
