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On August 28, tensions came to an end in Tripoli as forces loyal to Fathi Bashagha, the interim prime minister of Libya, withdrew from the outskirts of the capital.
The forces withdrew from the April 7 Camp and Bawabat al-Jibs in southern Tripoli. Forces supporting Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh, head of the Tripoli-based Government of National Unity, quickly took back both areas.
The surprise withdrawal came following unconfirmed reports of Turkish drone strikes on forces led by Bashagha’s ally Major General Osama al-Juwaili. The forces returned to their previous positions in Bab al-Azizia to the south of Tripoli.
Bashagha forces advanced towards Tripoli in response to clashes between local armed factions in the capital. The fierce clashes, which saw the use of heavy weapons, ended after claiming the lives of 32 people and wounding more than 160 others.
The Libyan government crisis began in February, when Bashagha was selected as prime minister-designate by the eastern-based Libyan House of Representatives. Back then, Dbeibeh, rejected Bashagha’s appointment as prime minister, stating that he will only hand power after a national election.
The crisis reached its peak earlier this week, when Bashagha reiterated his desire to “enter Tripoli, peacefully, in order to prevent blood shed.” Dbeibeh responded by placing his forces in the capital on high alert.
Now, Bashagha and Dbeibeh are reportedly heading to indirect negotiations. However, there are no guarantees that the talks between the two leaders will be successful.
In spite of their previous disagreement, Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, Commander-in-Chief of the Libyan National Army, is currently backing Bashagha’s claim to the prime minister position. Meanwhile, Turkey is trying to stay neutral as both leaders are considered to be of its close allies in Libya.
Oil-rich Libya has been unstable ever since NATO intervened to overthrow the regime of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, under the pretext of supporting freedom, democracy and human rights.
