Libya: More Than 1,000 Dead In The Battle Of Tripoli

More than 1000 people have lost their lives in the battle between rival forces fighting in the Libyan capital Tripoli since April.

According to a brief statement issued by the World Health Organization, at least 1,048 people were killed, including 106 civilians. 5,558 people were injured, including 289 civilians.

Naija News previously reported the loss of some Nigerian lives in the fight.

Launched in early April by Marshal Haftar, the strongman of eastern Libya, the battle opposes the forces of this former officer of the army to those of the national unity government recognized by the international community with for main stake, control of the capital Tripoli.

In nearly three months of conflict, clashes took on the appearance of proxy war, while Camp Haftar boasts the support of powers including Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States. On the other side, the government of national unity led by Prime Minister Fayez Al-Sarraj relies on countries such as Turkey, Italy or Qatar.

If the fighting seems to have decreased in intensity, the conflict is far from having known its epilogue especially as the antagonists camp on their lines and increase the supply of weapons. Major losers in this power struggle, civilian populations, including migrants arrested off the Mediterranean and held in centers on the territory. Last week, an airstrike on one site killed more than 50 people, mostly migrants held in a shed that collapsed on them.

Libya has become a militia refuge after the death of former leader Muammar Gaddafi, killed in Western strikes in the wake of the popular uprising against his regime in 2011. The country is today an important point of transit for many migrants trying the European adventure, but also for traffickers of all kinds. For his supporters, Marshal Haftar – strong in his success against the jihadist nebula in the East – is the right man to lift Libya from the ashes.

But his critics, especially among the population, see a replica of Colonel Gaddafi. They accuse him of wanting to impose an autocratic regime, annihilating all the hopes of the revolution. While analysts believe that its offensive on Tripoli is unsuccessful, many worry that this conflict is turning into a war of attrition.