Libya: Armed Storm Hotel is used as the headquarters of the Presidential Council New Conflicts

Dozens of gunmen attacked a hotel in the capital, Tripoli, over divisions within the union government.

Dozens of gunmen staged a show of strength at a hotel used as a residence by the Libyan presidential council as the nation’s deep divisions were revived.

The gunmen were spotted late Friday at the entrance to the Corinthia Hotel, in the heart of the capital Tripoli, according to images appearing on social media. The local press called them “militias”.

Najwa Wheba, a spokesman for the presidential council, confirmed that the armed men had attacked “one of the residences where the council meets”.

He told the Libyan news agency LANA that “no one was harmed” because the council is not working on Fridays, Libya’s weekly rest day.

Demonstration of force When the UN Security Council implementation calls for the withdrawal of all foreign troops and mercenaries, it revives divisions in the union government.

Joint government?

On Monday, Foreign Minister Najla al-Mangoush angered many in the east, Tripoli and the west when Turkey called for the withdrawal of troops deployed in the civil war.

These troops are well-known in the Libyan capital because they defeated last year’s military attack on eastern military commander Khalifa Haftar last June. He received support from several countries, most notably Russia and the United Arab Emirates.

Friday’s incident underscores the ongoing dangers to the union government. Both the Council of the Presidency and the Government of the National Union have had internal criticisms and challenges to their authority.

In eastern Libya, Haftar and his Libyan National Army (LNA) are still in power for nearly a year after a 14-month attack on the capital. In Tripoli, armed groups that withdrew from the capital Haftar with the help of Turkey still control the streets.

Foreign mercenaries continue to be strengthened on both sides of the high-fortified front, despite calls from international parties to withdraw from the war.

“Irresponsible Statements”

Last week, Foreign Minister al-Mangoush called for the departure of all foreign fighters, while Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu was next to visit.

Turkey says its military presence in Libya is different from other foreign forces because it was invited by a previous UN-recognized government and will not withdraw until others have done so.

Before the hotel was attacked on Friday, an operating room of Tripoli’s armed groups said on social media that it had met to discuss al-Mangoush’s “irresponsible statements” and then asked GNU to formally reject Haftar.

The October ceasefire created a united government – Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah and the presidential council – as part of the UN roadmap for the December elections.

In March, the UN Security Council called for the withdrawal of all foreign troops and mercenaries, numbering approximately 20,000.

Libya has plunged into chaos after the longtime dictator Muammar Gaddafi was ousted and killed in a NATO-backed uprising in 2011, and over the years the conflict has attracted several foreign powers.

The interim union government was formed in March, representing the administrations of eastern and western rivals, and aims to lead Libya to the elections.