The Tripoli-based government in Libya reported a mass prison break on Tuesday, staged during a fierce battle between rival armed militias in the cities of Zawiya and Surman.
The Judicial Police Authority did not disclose the number of inmates who escaped or reveal any of their identities. Instead, it promised to “identify them and take necessary legal action against them.”
Libyan officials were likewise vague about exactly who was fighting in the streets of the two cities, or why. Local news footage depicted heavy gunfire and clouds of black smoke from the battles, and the mayor of Surman said the city sustained “serious damage.” The battle ended when a “neutral...
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