TRIPOLI (LIBYA) (ITALPRESS) – Fans of the Ittihad Tripoli club set fire to part of the building housing the Presidency of the Government of National Accord (GNA) in downtown Tripoli on the night between Thursday and Friday, Libyan media reported. The protesters accuse the family of Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah of favoring one Libyan league team over others. The incident occurred shortly after Ittihad supporters invaded the pitch at the Tarhuna stadium following the match against Al-Swehli Misrata (a Western regional playoff match). The fans were protesting the denial of a penalty in the final minutes. Stadium cameras captured gunfire, chaos on the pitch, and the transfer of injured people by ambulance. Armed security forces intervened, firing into the air to disperse the invaders (Libyan league matches are played behind closed doors).
The director of Tarhuna Sports City, Abdullah Faraj, confirmed that the riots resulted in the live broadcast vehicle and some stadium facilities being set on fire. At the same time, further clashes erupted in the Bab Bin Ghashir neighborhood—near the government headquarters and the Ittihad headquarters—including an assault on a security vehicle. A group of youths then demonstrated in front of the Prime Minister’s Office building, throwing a large number of fireworks at the building. The flames engulfed some areas of the building. The protesters were dispersed, and firefighters intervened to put out the fire. There is currently no official information on the number of injuries or the extent of damage to the government building. The Tripoli government has not yet commented on the incident.
– photo xr8/Italpress –
(ITALPRESS).
