Five injured as rival militias fight in Tripoli

Rival Libyan militias fired guns and rocket-propelled grenades at each other in Tripoli yesterday and set fire to a former intelligence…

Rival Libyan militias fired guns and rocket-propelled grenades at each other in Tripoli yesterday and set fire to a former intelligence building in one of the worst breakdowns in security in the capital since the fall of Muammar Gadafy.

At least five people were wounded and a stray bullet entered a hospital in the heart of the city, where residents rushed to arm themselves, saying calls to police had gone unheeded. After more than 12 hours, the army moved in to restore order.

The violence underscored the challenge faced by Libya’s new government in reining in militias that gained power during the conflict that ended Gadafy’s 42-year rule a year ago and holding together a country riven with clan, regional and sectarian divisions. – (Reuters)