Fighting between rival militias in Libya kills dozens
Clashes between rival militias in Libya's capital Tripoli has killed at least 27 people and left residents trapped in their homes, emergency medics said.
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The fighting appears to be the most intense to shake Tripoli this year.
In addition to the deaths, more than 100 people were injured, Libya's Emergency Medicine and Support Centre, which provides emergency services in the west of Tripoli, said early on Wednesday.
A total of 234 families were evacuated from frontline areas in the capital's southern suburbs, along with dozens of doctors and paramedics who were trapped by the fighting while caring for the wounded, the centre said.
It is unclear how many of the dead were fighters or civilians.
The clashes erupted late on Monday between the 444 brigade and the Special Deterrence Force, two of the many militias that have vied for power since the overthrow of dictator Moamer Kadhafi in 2011.
Tensions flared after a senior commander of the 444 brigade was allegedly detained by the rival group at an airport in Tripoli earlier in the day, according to local media.
Late on Tuesday, city elders acting as negotiators announced that a deal had been reached to release the commander, Mahmoud Hamza, to a neutral party. The fighting abated overnight as a result.
Airport closed
The Libyan capital's only civilian airport, Mitiga, remained closed to commercial flights on Wednesday, officials said. Flights were being diverted to Misrata about 180 kilometres to the east.
Libya has seen more than a decade of conflict since Kadhafi was ousted. Two rival administrations, one in Tripoli and another based in the eastern city of Benghazi, are vying for control through alliances with militias on the ground.
A period of relative stability had led the United Nations to express hope that elections could finally take place this year, and the latest fighting triggered international calls for calm.
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The United Nations Support Mission in Libya said it was "following with concern" the fighting in Tripoli.
"All parties must preserve the security gains achieved in recent years and address differences through dialogue," UNSMIL said.
The embassies of France, the UK, the European Union and the United States all echoed the UN's call for de-escalation.
(with newswires)
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