Heavy shooting heard in Libya capital

Heavy shooting from guns and anti-aircraft weapons has been heard in the eastern part of the Libyan capital Tripoli, reports say.

The sporadic gunfire could be heard in the Suq al-Juma area early on Tuesday when a fighting broke out between armed militias in the region, Reuters quoted a militia source linked with the Libyan government as saying.

The North African country’s Defense Ministry refused to make any comments on the shooting, with Interior Ministry saying it had no information about the incident.

The government has been struggling to rein in armed militias since the overthrow of long-time dictator Muammar Gaddafi.

Libyans rose up against Gaddafi’s four-decade rule in February 2011 and deposed him in August 2011. He was slain on October 20 of the same year.

Benghazi was the birthplace of the 2011 uprising. It is largely governed by militias in the absence of unified Libyan security and military forces.

The city is still in the control of former rebels who refuse to lay down their arms or join the national security forces, despite efforts by the central government to impose law and order.

The capital city of Tripoli, as well as its suburbs have also been witnessing fierce clashes between rival militias.