LIBYA: Heavy gunfire heard in Libya's capital, MP says parliament stormed

Record ID: 376936

  • Title: LIBYA: Heavy gunfire heard in Libya's capital, MP says parliament stormed
  • Date: 18th May 2014
  • Summary: TRIPOLI, LIBYA (MAY 18, 2014) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF TRIPOLI SKYLINE WITH HEAVY GUNFIRE OVERHEARD
  • Embargoed: 2nd June 2014 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Libya
  • Country: Libya
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA8F0YBSR093X23SYSAQ1EEFV5P
  • Story Text: Heavy gunfire from anti-aircraft weapons and rocket-propelled grenades could be heard near the parliament in Libya's capital Tripoli on Sunday (May 18), residents said.
    Lawmaker Omar Bushah told Reuters gunmen had entered the General National Congress (GNC) and set the building on fire. State news agency LANA said unidentified gunmen had closed the streets leading to parliament.
    A Reuters witness said around 1500GMT that heavy smoke was coming from the direction of Libya's parliament.
    Irregular forces commanded by retired Libyan General Khalifa Haftar have claimed responsibility for a gun attack on parliament on Sunday.
    The forces under the name of the Libyan National Army are engaged in fighting militant Islamists in the eastern city of Benghazi.
    Tripoli has been spared the sort of violence seen in Benghazi, but more than 40 people were killed in November during clashes between militias and armed citizens.
    Libya is struggling with chaos as its government, parliament and nascent armed forces are unable to impose their authority over brigades of former rebels and militias who helped oust Muammar Gaddafi in 2011 but now defy the state.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2014. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register