Tripoli— Hundreds of people demonstrated in Martyrs’ Square in central Tripoli on Friday, demanding the departure of the interim Government of National Unity (GNU) which has been led by Abdulhamid Dbeibeh since 2021.
It is the third Friday in a raw that protestors gather from around Tripoli and the nearby citifies since the violent clashes that occurred on 12 and 14 May.
On Thursday, PM Dbeibeh held a meeting with a delegation of notables, sheikhs, and dignitaries from the Janzour area during which he discussed political, security, and service developments, according to a GNU’s statement.
He highlighted the important role of notables and sheikhs in supporting social cohesion and spreading the culture of dialogue and reconciliation, stressing that “the government will continue to work in a spirit of partnership with all national forces to achieve the aspirations of the Libyan people.”
A similar demonstration also took place in the Janzour area in front of the headquarters of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), where protesters raised slogans calling for the dismissal of the Dbeibeh government, amid escalating popular anger over the deterioration of the political and economic situation in the country.
However, the social media focused its attention on Abdulhamid Issa Kheder, a leader from Misrata, who took part in the demonstration in Tripoli and made a pro-protestors’ statement. “We must mobilize with all our might to bring down this corrupt government run by militias,” he told the demonstrators in Martyrs’ Square.
Kheder called for a genuine national dialogue to expel all armed militias and he emphasized that “Misrata stands with the nation.”
Meanwhile, a statement published on GNU’s Facebook platform late Friday evening said the Ministry of Interior “continues to implement its security plan in the capital, Tripoli, through a massive deployment of its units. This is part of ongoing efforts to ensure security, ensure the safety of citizens, and protect public facilities.”
“Security teams are working in a coordinated manner according to clear instructions, reflecting the Ministry’s readiness and full preparedness to address various security challenges,” it added.
The demonstrators held up red cards as those raised by the referee to oust players when they commit fouls during playing in soccer matches, symbolically signaling their demand for the Dbeibah government to leave power. They also chanted, “The people want to bring down the government.”
These demonstrations began to take place in the capital over the past two Fridays, following the violent events that occurred in Tripoli between May 12 and 14, which began with the killing of the commander of the so-called “Stability Support Apparatus,” Abdul Ghani Al-Kikli, followed by clashes between members of the apparatus and the “444 Combat Brigade.”
Other confrontations then took place between the brigade and the “Deterrence Apparatus” after the Prime Minister Dbeibeh issued a decision to dissolve the apparatus. Calm returned after the Ministry of Defense of the GNU and the Presidential Council announced a ceasefire.
