Clashes Reach Tripoli Suburbs as Islamists Rally for Support

The clashes in Tripoli raged for a ninth day on Thursday. (AFP)
The clashes in Tripoli raged for a ninth day on Thursday. (AFP)
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Clashes Reach Tripoli Suburbs as Islamists Rally for Support

The clashes in Tripoli raged for a ninth day on Thursday. (AFP)
The clashes in Tripoli raged for a ninth day on Thursday. (AFP)

The clashes between the forces of Khalifa Haftar’s Libyan National Army (LNA) and Fayez al-Sarraj’s Government of National Accord (GNA) intensified in Tripoli on Thursday with the death toll in the fighting reaching 56.

The clashes in the capital’s suburbs forced thousands of people to flee their homes.

The Islamist militias in Tripoli, meanwhile, prepared to hold a demonstration on Friday in the hope to rally popular support.

On the diplomatic front, Sarraj addressed a message to current Security Council president Germany's UN ambassador, Christoph Heusgen, to criticize the body’s failure to issue a resolution to condemn the LNA’s operation against Tripoli.

The Council and European Union appeared divided over the operation

Sarraj said that EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini had informed him during a telephone call Wednesday that Europe was united in demanding an end to the LNA military advance.

An EU statement expressed its grave concern over the military escalation in the capital, saying there can be no military solution to the Libyan crisis.

France had blocked a previous version of the statement.

At the request of France, the statement was amended from its draft version to include mentions of the plight of refugees and migrants in Libya, and the presence among the anti-Haftar forces of Islamist militants designated as terrorists by the United Nations.

“The military attack launched by the LNA on Tripoli and the subsequent escalation in and around the capital are endangering civilians, including migrants and refugees, and disrupting the UN-led political process, with the risk of serious consequences for Libya and the wider region, including the terrorist threat,” top EU diplomat Federica Mogherini said.

Observers said that the French stance reveals the re-emergence of the dispute between Paris and Rome over the conflict in Libya.

Italy is a former colonial power in Libya and France enjoys close ties to Haftar.

Italy has demanded that the EU statement refrain from backing any side in the escalating crisis, while France had pushed the bloc against calling on Haftar to stop his offensive.

The UN World Health Organization (WHO) said 56 people - mainly combatants though also some civilians including two doctors and an ambulance driver - had been killed, and another 266 wounded in Tripoli.

It was not clear if this included the toll given by the LNA for its soldiers - 28 killed and 95 wounded since the start of the offensive last week.

The number of people forced out of their homes by fighting rose to 8,075, the UN migration agency IOM said.

The EU also evacuated staff of its 20-member mission in Tripoli. The German news agency and Tunisian media said that the staff and diplomats had arrived in Tunisia.

On the ground and amid heavy clashes, the LNA said that it killed dozens of militants and destroyed several of their armored vehicles in the al-Sawani suburb in southern Tripoli.

It added that major military reinforcements had arrived in from the east as the Tripoli fighting entered its ninth day.

The 9th Brigade, Tarhuna, advanced on the al-Khalla region as pro-GNA forces from Misrata fled the area, it revealed.

The LNA is marching on Tripoli from the east and southeast. The western front is being defended by pro-GNA forces. LNA troops in the east are trying to contain the resistance thrown up by the Misrata forces.

The army said that several youths, who were among the western region militias, had contacted the LNA, expressed their support for Haftar and laid down their arms.

The military hailed the defections from the militias that have “spread corruption in the country and hoped that others, who have been deceived, follow their example.”



Syria Joins a Donor Conference for the First Time in a Crucial Phase for Its New Leaders

EU High Representative and Vice-President for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas (C), Syria's interim Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani (C-R), Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi (C-L) and representatives pose for a family picture on the sidelines of the Brussels IX Conference “Standing with Syria: meeting the needs for a successful transition”, at the Europa Building in Brussels on March 17, 2025. (AFP)
EU High Representative and Vice-President for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas (C), Syria's interim Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani (C-R), Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi (C-L) and representatives pose for a family picture on the sidelines of the Brussels IX Conference “Standing with Syria: meeting the needs for a successful transition”, at the Europa Building in Brussels on March 17, 2025. (AFP)
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Syria Joins a Donor Conference for the First Time in a Crucial Phase for Its New Leaders

EU High Representative and Vice-President for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas (C), Syria's interim Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani (C-R), Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi (C-L) and representatives pose for a family picture on the sidelines of the Brussels IX Conference “Standing with Syria: meeting the needs for a successful transition”, at the Europa Building in Brussels on March 17, 2025. (AFP)
EU High Representative and Vice-President for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas (C), Syria's interim Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani (C-R), Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi (C-L) and representatives pose for a family picture on the sidelines of the Brussels IX Conference “Standing with Syria: meeting the needs for a successful transition”, at the Europa Building in Brussels on March 17, 2025. (AFP)

International donors gathered on Monday in a show of support for Syria, hoping to encourage the new leaders of the conflict-ravaged country toward a peaceful political transition following the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad in December.

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani attended the conference — the ninth of its kind — in a first for a top official from Damascus.

But the United States, one of Syria’s top donors, wasn’t expected to offer assistance as the Trump administration is reviewing all foreign aid. It contributed almost $1.2 billion to Syria and the region last year.

Ministers and representatives from Western partners, Syria’s regional neighbors, other Arab countries and UN agencies also attended the one-day meeting in Brussels, organized in haste by the European Union amid change sweeping the country.

Opening the meeting, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that the EU was increasing its pledge to Syrians in the country and the region to almost 2.5 billion euros ($2.7 billion) for 2025 and 2026.

“We call on all of you who are here today to do the same, if possible, because at this critical time, the people of Syria need us more than ever,” von der Leyen said.

Syria's new leaders are trying to consolidate control over territory that was divided into de facto mini-states during nearly 14 years of civil war, and to rebuild the economy and infrastructure. The United Nations has estimated that it would cost at least $250 billion to rebuild Syria, while experts say that could reach at least $400 billion.

At the same time, Western governments are cutting back on aid spending, in part to use in defense budgets.

“We will give more, but we cannot fill the gap left by the US,” EU Crisis Management Commissioner Hadja Lahbib told reporters. "We will need to share the burden.”

Security concerns are also making donors hesitate. Earlier this month, an ambush on a Syrian security patrol by gunmen loyal to Assad triggered clashes. Some factions allied with the new government launched sectarian revenge attacks — primarily targeting Assad’s Alawite minority sect — that monitoring groups say killed hundreds of civilians over several days.

The EU said that it will only support “a peaceful and inclusive transition, away from malign foreign interference, which guarantees the rights of all Syrians without distinction of any kind.”

The 27-nation bloc has begun to ease energy, transport and financial sector sanctions to encourage the new authorities, but many other Western sanctions remain in place. The EU can reintroduce sanctions if things don’t go to the liking of Western backers.

Syria's foreign minister said that lifting the measures is no longer just a government demand but "a humanitarian and moral necessity.”

"We cannot talk about economic recovery and humanitarian development in Syria while restrictions continue to prevent even the arrival of medical equipment and spare parts to repair damaged hospitals and essential service facilities,” he said.

Syria's economy, infrastructure and institutions are in tatters. As a failed state, it could become another haven for extremists.

Amy Pope, director-general of the International Organization for Migration, urged donors to seize this opportunity to encourage the interim government to move in the right direction.

“It’s critical that countries take advantage of the moment we’re in,” Pope told The Associated Press.

“Of course, we all want to see an inclusive Syria,” she said. “We want to make sure there’s accountability for human rights violations. But the answer is to engage more, not to engage less.”

Syrians have only a few hours of electricity each day. Water supplies are unreliable and often unsafe. Unemployment runs to 80% or 90%. Destruction is widespread.

Many government employees and experts needed to rebuild fled after the 2011 peaceful anti-regime protests were violently quelled by Assad, leading to the conflict.

The UN refugee agency said that last year around 7 million people were displaced in Syria. More than 4.7 million refugees are registered in neighboring countries, most in Türkiye, Lebanon and Jordan.

The German government said that it would pledge around 300 million euros ($326 million) to help deal with the fallout from Syria’s civil war. More than half will be used to help people in Syria, with other funding supporting Syrians and communities elsewhere.

Monday's conference was also focused on meeting Syria’s economic needs. Infrastructure, health and education must be scaled up. Jobs and cash for work programs are needed so that Syrians can start to make a living.