Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh, Libya’s outgoing prime minister, called on all the main Libyan protagonists to leave the scene, but through elections.
Speaking in a recorded televised speech a day after deadly clashes erupted in Tripoli, Dbeibeh accused the country’s the House of Representatives and High Council of State of pretending to want elections but in reality, doing everything possible to avoid elections.
“When they saw our city Tripoli in peace, they were jealous. Those who think they can stage a coup, we tell them the coup era has now passed and those who want elections, we are ready for elections, we’re not moving forward unless we go to elections and if they want otherwise, we have men.”
Violence erupted in the Libyan capital on Saturday between armed groups, causing the death of at least 32 people while 159 were injured, according to the Ministry of Health.
The clashes involved armed groups that back Dbeibeh’s government, against forces of Fathi Bashagha, who was selected as interim premier by Libya’s House of Representatives last February after Dbeibeh failed to organize national elections in December 2021 as per the UN-led peace plan.
32 people killed, 159 wounded after clashes break out in Tripoli