Skip to main content

Heavy gunfire in Libyan capital

CAIRO (AP) — Libya’s capital is seeing its worst violence since the country’s civil war three years ago.

Heavy gunfire between militias today kept firefighters from battling a huge blaze in Tripoli, despite calls for a cease-fire. The blaze, which engulfed oil facilities, started in the crossfire of fighting over Tripoli’s international airport.

In the eastern city of Benghazi, Islamist-led militias said they also seized bases of a renegade general fighting against them today.

The violence has prompted many diplomats and foreigners to flee the country, including the U.S. ambassador in Libya and United Nations staff. Spain’s Foreign Ministry says a Spanish military plane also evacuated 60 people from Libya. The Spanish ambassador will remain in Tripoli with a reduced staff.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Hail to the chief: Take our presidential trivia quiz

EDITOR'S NOTE: WTOP first brought you this quiz in 2019. Presidents Day is coming. How well do you know the less-important facts about the nation's leaders? Take WTOP's quiz — with any luck, it won't take you all Presidents Day to finish it.
Read Next Story