By Ashraf Abdul Wahab.
Tripoli, 14 July 2014:
Residents in Janzour have been left in fear of further attacks after . . .[restrict]grad rockets fell on their homes during yesterday’s clashes at Tripoli Airport.
The rockets caused damage to a number of of homes although most fell on open ground. No one was injured as a result. Locals told the Libya Herald of their terror as the rockets fell. They also said they were frustrated that their situation had not been recognised by the authorities whom they said had paid them little attention.
The army had, however, already warned residents in parts of Janzour last night to leave their homes and keep away from the headquarters of the Fursan Janzour Brigade.
The situation in Janzour is closely linked to the clashes that have been taking place elsewhere in the capital.
The clashes that occurred in the suburb on 5 July between the Special Operations Force under the direction of the Ministry of the Interior and forces belonging to Fursan Janzour are seen to have been the spark which triggered the present fighting in Tripoli between Zintani forces and their allies on the one hand and a number of Islamist-leaning revolutionary brigades and Misratan forces on the other.
Many of those in the Special Operations Force are known to be members of the Zintani Sawaq brigade while Fursan Janzour has links with the Libyan Revolutionaries’ Operation Room (LROR) which has joined the Fajr Operation.
Today, some in Janzour are claiming that they were targeted deliberately by Zintan who used the cover of today’s clashes to fire the missiles intentionally at the area.
The situation is further complicated by Warshefana Military Council’s decision to call up fighters because of the situation. It says it wants 21,000 to report for duty. The Warshefana, who are siding with Qaaqaa and Sawaq against the LROR and the Misratans, also happen to constitute a major proportion of Janzour’s population.
In addition to warning Janzour residents to stay away from the Fursan headquarters, the army also warned residents of Abu Sleem district to leave the area near the home of former Supreme Security Committee commander Abdul Ghani Kikli, also known as Ghnaiwa. The warning is seen as a sign that action is being planned against him.
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