admincapture and killing of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi last month.
The fighting, which has left at least four people dead since late last week, raised new concerns about the ability of Libya’s transitional government to disarm thousands of fighters and restore order after a bloody eight-month civil war.
Libya’s interim leader, Mustafa Abdul-Jalil, said his National Transitional Council brought together elders from the rival areas – the coastal city of Zawiya and the nearby town of Warshefana – over the weekend and that the dispute has been resolved. “I want to assure the Libyan people that everything is under control,” he said yesterday.
However, as he spoke, fighting continued.
The camp, once a base of elite forces commanded by one of Colonel Gaddafi’s sons, Khamis, is located on a highway midway between the capital of Tripoli and Zawiya. Mohammed al-Hadwash, a local commander of fighters from Tripoli, said gunmen from Zawiya and Warshefana were fighting for control of the camp.
Zawiya fighters also set up roadblocks on the outskirts of the city at intervals of about 200 meters. Groups of jumpy armed men, some brandishing RPGs, crowded around the checkpoints. Fighters searched trunks of cars and checked IDs.
The reason for the initial clash remains unclear, though rumors have been flying, including that some of the Warshefana had links to the old regime.
Abdul-Jalil said the NTC has established a committee to address the grievances of both sides. He said the fighting was sparked by young men behaving irresponsibly, but he did not elaborate.
Since the October 20 death of Col Gaddafi, there have been a number of violent clashes between fighters, including a deadly shootout at a Tripoli hospital.
Noting high unemployment among the armed men, Abdul-Jalil said the new government must offer alternatives first, including jobs, study and training. – BostonGlobe.com.
Online Reporter