Africa

Libya Rivals Clash South of capital, Causing Blackouts

Libya Rivals Clash South of capital, Causing Blackouts

New clashes flared between rival militias south of Libya’s capital Tripoli on Tuesday, causing widespread power outages, the national electricity firm said.

The fighting underscored the fragility of a United Nations-backed ceasefire reached earlier this month after days of deadly violence between armed groups in the capital, beset by turmoil since the fall of dictator Moammar Gaddafi in 2011.

Tuesday morning’s clashes centered on the main road to Tripoli’s long-closed international airport, according to witnesses including an AFP journalist.

Libya’s National Electricity Company said its network had been damaged, causing a total blackout across the North African nation’s south and west.

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