Zintan fighters deny assassination attempt in Tripoli airport clashes



TRIPOLI // Revolutionary fighters clashed with national army troops near Tripoli's airport, leaving one person dead, officials said Sunday.

Qaddafi may be dead, but Libyans stick to their guns

With tribal conflicts and personal score-settling on the rise, the weapons that were given to Libyans to battle the Qaddafi regime have become Libya's primary security threat.

Tripoli urges militiamen to find jobs or go home. Read article

The violence reflects the difficulties Libya's new leaders face as they try to stamp their authority on the disparate militias that overthrew Muammar Qaddafi.

Sgt Abdel Razik el Shibahy, an army spokesman, said fighters from the mountain town of Zintan, who control Tripoli's international airport, opened fire on two occasions on Saturday on the convoy of Gen Khalifa Hifter, the commander of the fledgling national army.

He accused the Zintan revolutionaries of trying to assassinate Gen Hifter, and said one guard was killed and four others wounded in the second attack. He also said the Zintan fighters mistakenly believed that the army was coming to attack them at the airport, which they have been in control shortly after the capture of Tripoli in August.

"Zintan rebels opened fire on the convoy from left, right and front," he said. "They think that the army wants to take over the airport but this is not the case."

Khaled El Zintani, a spokesman for the Zintan fighters, denied they tried to kill Gen Hifter, and blamed the violence on the army's failure to notify them that the general was coming.

The Zintan fighters, who control a number of checkpoints on the motorway leading to the airport, said Gen Hifter's convoy failed to stop at one of the security posts, and instead sped through it, causing the Zintanis to open fire.

"What do you expect fighters to do when a heavily armed military convoy tries to pass checkpoints without previous notification?" Mr el Zintani said.

The clashes highlight one of the biggest challenges facing Libya's new leaders - establishing functioning security services, including an army and border guards. Currently, semiautonomous militias that fought against Qaddafi still control key locations, including the capital's airport, and have proven reluctant to submit to the authority of the still weak interim national government.

Mr El Zintani said the revolutionaries are ready to hand the airport to a government agency "only if it is capable of protecting the airport from intrusions."

Mukhtar Al Akhdar, the Zintan commander at the airport, also rejected the army's authority.

"If this is a real army, why don't they go protect the borders instead of trying to take over the airport?" he said.

Hifter was named to replace Abdel Fattah Younis, who was killed in late July. Rebels insisted it was the work of Qaddafi's regime but several witnesses said Mr Younis was killed by fellow rebels.

The army says that it is trying to persuade revolutionary fighters to return to their homes, and, if possible, to enlist in its ranks. It has stopped short of demanding their weapons until the interim government can deliver on promises of jobs and training.

The army leadership appears to have the support of many Libyans who are tired of militia clashes and heavily-armed young men roaming the streets of the capital. But the fighters so far have refused to disarm, arguing that the military is too poorly organised for them to submit to its authority.

"Until now, we don't know anything about the Libyan national army. Who is in charge, where are the military bases, what is its chain of command or even how can rebels join it?" said Mr El Zintani. "On the ground, the so-called national army is nothing yet."

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Playing records of the top 10 in 2017

How many games the top 10 have undertaken in the 2017 ATP season

1. Rafael Nadal 58 (49-9)

2. Andy Murray 35 (25-10)

3. Roger Federer 38 (35-3)

4. Stan Wawrinka 37 (26-11)

5. Novak Djokovic 40 (32-8)

6. Alexander Zverev 60 (46-14)

7. Marin Cilic 43 (29-14)

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10. Kei Nishikori 43 (30-13)

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Electoral College Victory

Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate. 

 

Popular Vote Tally

The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.

If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.

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The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

Dubai Rugby Sevens

November 30-December 2, at The Sevens, Dubai

Gulf Under 19

Pool A – Abu Dhabi Harlequins, Jumeirah College Tigers, Dubai English Speaking School 1, Gems World Academy

Pool B – British School Al Khubairat, Bahrain Colts, Jumeirah College Lions, Dubai English Speaking School 2

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Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh497 to Dh772
Two bedroom: Dh646 to Dh1,003
Three bedroom: Dh743 to Dh1,154

• City Walk

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Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh524 to Dh809 
Two bedroom: Dh682 to Dh1,052 
Three bedroom: Dh784 to Dh1,210 

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Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
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Two bedroom: Dh549 to Dh818 
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Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh503 to Dh770 
Two bedroom: Dh654 to Dh1,002 
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Director: Ed Perkins

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Day 1 results:

Open Men (bonus points in brackets)
New Zealand 125 (1) beat UAE 111 (3)
India 111 (4) beat Singapore 75 (0)
South Africa 66 (2) beat Sri Lanka 57 (2)
Australia 126 (4) beat Malaysia -16 (0)

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New Zealand 64 (2) beat South Africa 57 (2)
England 69 (3) beat UAE 63 (1)
Australia 124 (4) beat UAE 23 (0)
New Zealand 74 (2) beat England 55 (2)

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