Libya’s Government of National Unity announced on Saturday that a police officer died from gunshot wounds sustained during protests near the prime minister’s Office in Tripoli.
In a statement, the government said the officer was shot by unidentified gunmen while securing the government building. Authorities said security forces prevented an attempted breach of the building by a group of “infiltrators” embedded among protesters who tried to storm the premises using Molotov cocktails and metal tools.
No damage was reported. Protests erupted on Friday in Tripoli with demonstrators blaming Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh’s government for recent armed clashes in the capital and demanding its resignation.
Clashes broke in the Salah al-Din and Abu Salim districts of Tripoli on Monday amid unconfirmed reports of the death of Abdul Ghani al-Kikli, head of the Stability Support Apparatus.
The deputy head of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), Stephanie Koury, issued a warning about the "rapidly" deteriorating situation in Libya over the past two months, saying "unilateral" actions have exacerbated tensions in the country.
Unverified resignation letters
A ceasefire was announced on Wednesday by the Defence Ministry.
Local outlet Libya Al-Ahrar said clashes involved fighters from the Stability Support Apparatus and the 444th Combat Brigade, both affiliated with the Defence Ministry.
Unverified resignation letters of several ministers also circulated on social media on Friday, including those attributed to the ministers of local governance, housing, and water resources.
Their authenticity remains unclear.
Libya continues to face political division between two rival governments since 2022, the internationally recognised administration of Dbeibeh in Tripoli, and a parallel government led by Osama Hammad based in Benghazi, supported by the eastern-based parliament.
UN-led efforts to hold national elections remain stalled, prolonging the oil-rich country's decade-long conflict and instability.
Tunisia weighs in
Tunisia urged an “immediate” halt to escalation in all parts of Libya on Friday, citing dangers that developments pose to the country’s future and the safety of its people.
The Foreign Ministry expressed in a statement Tunisia’s readiness to host a Libyan-led dialogue, facilitated by the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), to reach a peaceful resolution to the conflict, according to the TAP News Agency.
The statement voiced concern about the worsening security situation in Tripoli and its consequences for the safety and security of Libyans and other residents. It reaffirmed Tunisia’s dedication to backing Libyan-led solutions without external interference.
The statement also urged the laying down of arms and an end to violence, calling on Libyans to settle their differences through dialogue.
Türkiye evacuates nationals
Türkiye evacuated 82 of its nationals from the Libyan capital Tripoli after several days of fatal clashes between armed groups, foreign ministry sources said late Friday.
“Eighty-two citizens who wanted to return to Türkiye were assisted in their departure from Libya and allowed to return home,” the source said.
The move came a day after the Turkish embassy said in a post on Facebook that it was preparing to evacuate its nationals via a Turkish Airlines flight to Istanbul from the Libyan port city of Misrata, some 200 kilometres east of Tripoli.
It said it would organise bus transport from the capital.
