“Protection of innocent and defenseless citizens can only be achieved through security arrangements under the supervision of the U.N. Mission to clear the capital of all types of heavy and medium weapons,” said Prime Minister-designate Fathi Bashagha on Saturday.
His remarks came in the wake of violent clashes in Tripoli last night between armed groups. Videos posted on social media showed civilians in state of panic when the armed groups exchanged fire on the streets.
“Security and peace cannot be established without the presence of a state whose authorities enjoy constitutional and legal legitimacy,” Bashagha stated via Twitter.
“This compels us to move towards parliamentary and presidential elections,” he added.
Bashagha alluded to his rival Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh, who refuses to hand over power and instead plans to hold only parliamentary elections at the end of this year, saying that it is not possible to trust his government to hold elections when it has “no control over the security and safety of citizens”.
1/4 حماية المدنيين والأبرياء من المواطنين العزل لا يمكن أن تتحقق إلا من خلال ترتيبات أمنية بإشراف البعثة الأممية لإخلاء العاصمة من كافة أنواع الأسلحة الثقيلة والمتوسطة.
— فتحي باشاغا Fathi Bashagha (@fathi_bashagha) June 11, 2022