Libya increasingly becomes a tribal war zone

On the backdrop of the information that Hillary Clinton will not seek a second term as the head of the State Department, the fights for Bani Walid resumes with new ferocity.

The Libyan "authorities" were quick to report about the successful quelling of the rebellion in Bani Walid last week, and punishing the largest tribe warfalla in the area. In reality, observers believe that this is the beginning of a new violent confrontation, and the tribe varfalla decided to return control of the country, as it was at time of Gaddafi ruling.

The population of Bani Walid (140 km south of Tripoli) is about 70 thousand inhabitants. In last year's war in Libya, along with Sirte, he was one of the last bastions of supporters of Gaddafi.


Fighting in Bani Walid began in October. First, the military reported that drove the rebels out of the city. A week ago, the commander of one of the participants in the fighting militias Farash al-Suhail said that the Libyan army completed the operation and took control of the city. "We have full control of Bani Walid. The fighting stopped, "- said al-Suhail.

Note that the first anniversary of the killing of Gaddafi (October 20) was marked by violent clashes of his supporters with the new government of Libya. According to some reports, in one of the battles the son of the former ruler of the North African state Khamis has died, but he did so at least five times in recent history.  In general fighting in Bani Walid have claimed dozens of lives and hundreds were injured.

The reason for the next outbreak of violence was the kidnapping and death of young Omran Shaaban , who a year ago, first found Gaddafi in Sirte, and thus effectively signed the death sentence.


Ex-militiamen, mostly from Misrata, besieged Bani Walid and demanded the release involved in the death of Shaaban by supporters of ex-leader of the Jamahiriya. However, Bani Walid, the capital of the tribe varfalla that has kept faithful to the fallen regime, in response chose to take up arms.
According to Western commentators, a year after the fall of Gaddafi's government, the "authorities", who came to replace him, continue to struggle with bringing order to the country.

The tribal fighting will be a lasting legacy of Clinton's foreign policy, and a new money pit for American budget, as American forces would have to go periodically into the country.