Over the weekend, locals in the Libyan capital of Tripoli reported heavy gunfire as a pair of armed factions operating within the city turned on one another, fighting over allegations that the one faction had killed a member of the other.
Fighting left cars burning on several streets, as the factions, each commanding the support of neighboring districts, and each with some nominal law enforcement powers in those districts, granted by the Tripoli-based parliament.
The municipal government of Tripoli responded to the incident with a call for all authorities to agree to remove armed factions from the city, and to have actual legal authorities handle security instead of militias.
The local government didn’t single out anyone in particular as being at fault, but urged all parties involved to “control themselves” and not to engage in fighting in areas where civilians are liable to be harmed.