Clashes
between Libyan authorities and Gaddafi loyalists have left 11 dead during the
siege of anti-regime bastion Bani Walid. Libyan authorities continue to
struggle against multiple militia groups in the midst of growing political
disarray.
Libya’s
President of the General National Congress, Mohammed Magarief, is on the way to
Bani Walid to persuade its tribal and military leaders to allow a peaceful army
takeover, AFP reported.
Meanwhile,
some reports suggest that ceasefire has already been agreed, and national
military forces are preparing to enter the restive city.
Tensions
have been rising in the former Gaddafi stronghold as government forces try to
bring the dissident town to heal.
People
from both sides were killed in the violence as militias operating alongside the
Defense Ministry faced counter attacks on Wednesday.
"Bani
Walid has been shelled since this morning from three sides – the south, the
east and southeast," Colonel Salem al-Wa'er, a spokesman for Bani Walid's
fighters, told news agency AFP by phone.
The
commander of ex-rebel group Libya Shield said four of his men had been killed
and 19 injured in the battle for the hilltop town. While the deputy director of
the town’s hospital said that at least 75 people had been wounded, including a
14-year-old girl.
Humanitarian
groups have condemned the situation in the town amid reports that residents
have been left without food and medical supplies. Amnesty International says
hundreds of residents have been unlawfully taken into custody by militia groups
in the city and are being tortured and mistreated.
Violence
erupted after Libya’s General National Congress gave the Ministries of Interior
and Defense permission to use force to arrest those suspected of killing Omran
Shaaban – the man who is credited with capturing the country’s ex-leader,
Muammar Gaddafi, last year.
Acting
on government orders, troops began to surround the town, threatening to “purge”
the settlement of the vestiges of the regime.
Army
spokesperson Colonel Ali al-Sheikhi told AFP on Wednesday that the military had
issued no order to attack the city, while Shield Libya officers said that they
had been told to advance on Bani Walid.
Political
disarray
Libya’s
General National Congress has thus far failed to curtail violence in the
country and bring militant groups formed of former rebels under control.
The
country’s fragile government was plunged into disarray when the Congress sacked
Mustafa Abushagur, the first prime minister to be elected after the 2011
toppling of Muammar Gaddafi.
Abushagur
was elected as PM following the attack on the US consulate in Benghazi that
killed US Ambassador Christopher Stevens. The now ex-PM warned of rising
instability in Libya and called for a “crisis cabinet” to be created.
The
former leader said he respected the Congress’ decision to oust him, but
stressed he wanted to form a “national unity government” with a view to
persuading the country’s political factions to end their wrangling and work
together.
‘An
embarrassing revelation’
Human
Rights Watch revealed in a report on Wednesday that stipulates Libyan rebels
abused and murdered Colonel Gaddafi, along with his son Mutassim, and
loyalists. Sabah Al-Mukhtar, President of the Arab Lawyers Association
described the findings as an “embarrassment” for NATO given that they backed
many of the armed militia groups that fought against Gaddafi.
“The
major powers like the US and Britain were all telling lies, to say the least.
This revelation, although now documented, is not new, everybody expected it,”
Said al-Mukhtar to RT.
On the
subject of the government’s harsh line on Beni Walid, he said the government is
not in control of the fragmented military groups. Speaking about the militia
groups, he told RT “their allegiance is not to Libya. Their allegiance is to
their tribe, their town or their background.”
“The
Libyan people are certainly suffering more than they did under Gaddafi,” said
al-Mukhtar. “At the present moment we have a situation where the Libyans are
pitched against each other.”
He
concluded that the current situation will remain the same while there are
international oil interests in Libya.
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