Fighters clash in Libyan capital

At least one killed in Tripoli after dispute over imprisonment of Misrata brigades member by rival group turns violent.

At least one person has been killed in the Libyan capital after two groups of armed men have clashed over a dispute centred on the imprisonment of a member of one of the groups.

Witnesses reported hearing gunshots in Tripoli as the rival militia groups clashed on Tuesday.

Eyewitnesses on the scene told Al Jazeera that a group of fighters from Misrata clashed with members of another group who had taken one of their members prisoner.

The fighting occurred on Saeedi Street, near the site of the old interior ministry building, Al Jazeera’s Imran Khan reported from Tripoli.

“Apparently what’s happened is that one of the brigades from Misrata had a member of their’s arrested. They went in to then get that member out from the old ministry of the interior building, and that’s when the clashes broke out,” he said.

Reinforcements deployed

The Libyan defence and interior ministries said that reinforcements were being sent to the area of the violence to try and control the situation.

“The big fear that most Libyans have here is about security. They’re very worried about these groups being out on the street with guns, and they’re very worried that incidents can quickly escalate. And that’s what we’re seeing here today,” our correspondent said.

“It’s very difficult for the ruling NTC and the interim government to try and control the brigades that are out on the streets, because they’re simply entrenched in their positions and they have no choice, because you have to realise that if you want security in this country and … you don’t have a fully functioning police force … then you rely on these armed brigades.”