Libya: Nation In Hands Of Armed Factions, Army Chief Appointed

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Fighting in Tripoli on Tuesday between opposing factions left 4 dead, five according to some sources. The exchange of gunfire, grenades and heavy artillery erupted between a group of former rebels of Misrata and a local armed faction, which had arrested a fighter of the resistance movement against Gheddafi on charges of theft.

This is the most credible reconstruction of events that remain marginal in news emerging from Libya, but that is causing concern in the larger context of fighting and the circulation of weapons inside the country.

After successfully overthrowing Gheddafi’s regime, the former rebels – estimated by the government to be up to 200,000 – many are left without work and, as in this case, in a city that is not their own.

This matter will need to be addressed by the new army chief Yousef Al Manqoush. The retired general, originally from Misrata, was appointed Wednesday as the head of an army that still needs to be formed with both career army officers from the time of the regime and former rebels.

Manqoush was appointed by the President of the National Transitional Council, Mustafa Abdeljalil.

The main obstacle for the General will be to overcome divisions and the presence of numerous opposing militias.

MISNA

MISNA, or the Missionary International Service News Agency, provides daily news ‘from, about and for’ the 'world’s Souths', not just in the geographical sense, since December 1997.

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