Libya Herald | 17.09.2017
At least three men have been killed and several injured, some severely, in further fighting today in Sabratha between an Islamist militia and a local anti-people smuggling force.
The shooting in the town centre which broke out early this morning, is understood to have involved members of Ahmed Dabbashi’s Al-Amu militia. Dabbashi is a member of a prominent local family with a record of Islamist support. On the other side was the 48th Brigade of the town’s “Operations Room Fighting IS” under its commander Omar Abdul Jalil. The brigade was formed to crack down on local people-smuggling gangs.
Local elders have spent the day seeking to broker a ceasefire. The cause of the conflict is unclear. However, there has been speculation that it may have been triggered by a dispute over funds that Italy is paying to stop the flow of illegal migrants by having them intercepted and held in Libyan detention centres. A week ago Italian ambassador Giuseppe Perrone visited the town to congratulate the mayor Hassen Dhawadi on his clamp-down on the people-traffickers.
Another source has said that ranged against the Al-Amu militia have been pro-Libyan National Army (LNA) fighters. In July force of some 500 LNA supporters from the Watiya airbase and surrounding towns came into Sabratha and forced the Islamists out of the town.
:::::
The Libya Observer | 17.09.2017
Uneasy calm prevails after deadly clashes in Sabratha
An uneasy calm has descended on Sabratha city after deadly clashes since early Sunday, causing one death and several injuries.
The clashes erupted between the newly-formed IS fighting operations room and one of the city’s armed groups – known as Anas Dabbashi, which was lately mentioned as a deal breaker with Italy regarding payment by the latter to human trafficking gangs to end illegal immigration off the city’s coast.
According to local sources, all kinds of weapons were used in the clashes leading to killings and injuries as well as material damage.
Likewise, local websites reported a senior leader from the IS fighting operations room as saying that they attacked Sunday dawn the building of Anas Dabbashi brigade in downtown Sabratha, saying one of the killed persons is a leader in the brigade named Abu Bakir Dabbashi.
He added that the fight was prompted as part of combating the armed groups that have been neck-deep in human trafficking and organized crime, indicating that what they are doing is supported by the residents in order to rid them of the criminality in their city.
Sabratha city is one of the jumping off points for illegal immigrants to sail off the Libyan coast to Europe, besides the fact that several armed groups from the city including Dabbashi’s are accused of being behind the illicit trips to Italy via the Mediterranean.