TRIPOLI: Armed clashes broke out in Libya’s capital on Monday evening following reports of the killing of Abdulghani Kikli, also known as “Ghaniwa,” a powerful militia commander, prompting the United Nations to call for immediate de-escalation.
Heavy gunfire and explosions were reported in the neighbourhoods of Abu Salim and Salah Eddin, with residents describing the night sky lit up by flashes. “I heard heavy gunfire, and I saw red lights in the sky,” one resident said on condition of anonymity.
Kikli led the Support Force Apparatus (SSA), a significant armed group operating under the Government of National Unity (GNU) and affiliated with Libya’s Presidential Council. His reported death triggered a swift and violent response from loyalist factions.
In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) said it was “alarmed by the unfolding security situation” and condemned the use of heavy weaponry in densely populated areas. The mission warned that attacks targeting civilians “may amount to war crimes” and urged all parties to immediately halt hostilities.
Libya’s Health Ministry instructed hospitals to remain on high alert for casualties, while the Interior Ministry advised residents to stay indoors for safety. The University of Tripoli suspended all academic and administrative operations until further notice.
Libya remains divided between rival administrations in the east and west following the 2011 fall of Muammar Gaddafi. Although a 2020 UN-brokered ceasefire remains formally in place, sporadic violence continues as militias compete for influence, territory, and control of state institutions.
The recent violence also coincides with reports that the Trump administration in the United States is considering deporting migrants to Libya, despite longstanding concerns over the country’s instability and treatment of detainees.
UNSMIL reiterated the obligation of all armed actors to protect civilians and respect international humanitarian law.
