Libyan police reported a mass escape from Surman jail on Tuesday as intense armed clashes unfolded in two towns to the west of Tripoli. The Tripoli-based Judicial Police Authority said the breakout occurred at Surman and that it has launched an investigation into the incident.
Officials did not provide an exact figure for the number of inmates who fled. The Judicial Police Authority said it has established a committee to identify those who escaped and to "take necessary legal action against them."
Local leaders described a deteriorating humanitarian situation in the area. Salem Bahr, a community leader in Zawiya, made a public appeal on Turkey-based Libya Al-Ahrar TV calling for an end to the fighting, saying "everyone who wins in this situation loses." Bahr reported that three civilians were killed and several others were injured in the clashes.
There was no immediate confirmation of the identities of the fighters or their motives. Authorities said the violence occurred between rival armed groups in Zawiya and Surman - both towns located to the west of the capital. Zawiya lies roughly 40 km (25 miles) west of Tripoli and hosts the Azzawiya refinery, which the article notes is the country's largest functioning refinery with a capacity of 120,000 barrels per day.
The Azzawiya Oil Company published a message on Facebook urging its staff to "take maximum precautions and completely avoid areas of clashes and the roads leading to them." The notice underscores concern for worker safety and for operations around the refinery in the face of the unrest.
Unverified video clips circulating online and on local television showed large plumes of black smoke rising over neighborhoods, and other footage captured heavy gunfire echoing through Surman and Zawiya. The mayor of Surman, Mohamed Abu Snina, described the humanitarian situation as very bad and said the clashes inflicted serious damage. He added that a neutral force had been deployed and that relative calm had returned to the city following that deployment.
Libya has experienced recurring instability since the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. In this incident, police actions include an investigative probe into the prison escape and a committee dedicated to identifying and legally pursuing the escapees, while local authorities and oil-sector operators have warned of the immediate humanitarian and operational impacts of the fighting.
Summary
- Inmates staged a mass escape from Surman jail during armed clashes in Zawiya and Surman.
- The Judicial Police Authority has opened an investigation and formed a committee to identify escapees and pursue legal action.
- Local leaders reported three civilian deaths and multiple injuries; the Azzawiya Oil Company advised workers to avoid clash areas near the refinery.