Clashes erupted in Libya’s capital on Tuesday as the parliament-appointed prime minister, Fathi Bashagha, tried to take over government there but was forced back by a rival administration that refuses to cede power. Bashagha entered Tripoli overnight after two months of stalemate between Libya’s rival administrations, but withdrew hours later as fighting rocked the capital, his office said. However, wider escalation seemed unlikely, he said, given Bashagha’s rapid withdrawal from Tripoli after fighting had broken out. That may prolong the shutdown of major oil facilities by forces in eastern Libya tied to commander Khalifa Haftar, who backs Bashagha, or to clashes escalating beyond the capital. The unity government’s prime minister, Dbeibah, rejected the parliament’s moves saying his administration was still valid and he would only hand over power after an election.

Source: Libya Today May 17, 2022 16:14 UTC