Libya: Militias may bring country into civil war, says NTC leader

Libya’s transitional government is concerned the country could end up in a civil war if clashes between militias aren’t brought under control, The New York Times reported

National Transitional Council leader, Mustafa Abdel-Jalil, warned that the government faced “bitter options” as it tries to handle the thousands of militia fighters that formed units in the months following Muammar Gaddafi’s death. The warning was issued after a week of fighting in Tripoli, which has broken out in gun fights periodically since Gaddafi’s death.

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Jalil’s warning was issued in response to the most recent gun battle between militias on one of Tripoli’s busiest streets. The gun battle lasted four hours and left four fighters dead, the Wall Street Journal reported.

"We are now between two bitter options," Jalil said on Tuesday, Reuters reported. "We deal with these violations (clashes between militias) strictly and put the Libyans in a military confrontation which we don't accept, or we split and there will be a civil war."

"If there's no security, there will be no law, no development and no elections," he said. "People are taking the law into their own hands."

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In December, Libya’s NTC forced revolutionary militias from other towns out of Tripoli and banning heavy weapons from the streets. The same militias had helped to liberate the nation’s capital in August and took up strategic positions around the city while their leaders lobbied for government posts, WSJ reported.

Libyan leaders had hoped to clear the city of any militia fighters by December 20, The Times reported. But little progress has been made on consolidating and demobilizing militias into a central command, WSJ reported.

Transitional leaders have also tried to respond to the militia problems by creating a robust national army with parts of Gaddafi’s army and former rebel fighters, The Times reported. They have also tried to bring fighters into civilian life by creating jobs for those who put down their guns. But Jalil says little progress has been made.

“The response has been weak so far,” he said, The Times reported. “People are holding on to their weapons.”

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