Deadly clashes in Libyan capital leave 12 people dead

At least 12 people have been killed and scores of others injured in intense fighting that erupted between rival factions in the Libyan capital overnight.

The Friday night clashes stretched into Saturday in the center of Tripoli.

Early on Saturday evening, the Health Ministry in Tripoli gave a preliminary toll of 12 dead and 87 wounded from the fighting. Six hospitals were also hit and ambulances were unable to reach areas affected by the fighting.

Pictures and video shared online of the city center showed military vehicles speeding through the streets, fighters shooting and local residents trying to douse fire.

There was no immediate comment from the ministries of interior and health about the fighting, which paused in the morning before resuming.

The Tripoli University suspended classes.

The United Nations' Libya mission has also voiced concern.

The Tripoli-based Government of National Unity (GNU) and a rival administration backed by the eastern-based parliament traded accusations over the violence.

The GNU said in a statement that the clashes in Tripoli were triggered by fighters aligned with a rival administration under Fathi Bashagha, firing on a convoy in the capital while other pro-Bashagha units had massed outside the city. It accused Bashagha of backing out of talks to resolve the crisis.

The Bashagha administration said in response that it had never rejected talks and that its own overtures had been rejected by interim Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah. It did not directly respond to the assertion that it was linked to the clashes.

The latest bout of violence comes in the wake of a build-up of rival forces in Tripoli over the past week.

Since 2015, Libya has been divided between the GNA in Tripoli and lawmakers in Tobruk, allied to renegade military commander Khalifa Haftar.

The two rivals fought for power in the country for several years, and after a year of intense conflict that led to the advances of the government of unity to the capital, they announced a ceasefire last August.

The North African country has been beset by violence and chaos since the overthrow and killing of its long-time ruler Muammar Gaddafi following a bombing campaign by NATO in 2011. The resulting chaos and factional divisions then escalated into a regional proxy war fueled by foreign powers, who poured weapons and mercenaries into the country.

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