Fragile situation as Libya anger boils over living conditions
Tripoli, Libya – AFP
Libya’s rival leaders are under growing street pressure since protesters stormed parliament as anger exploded over deteriorating living conditions and political deadlock.
Libyans, many impoverished after a decade of turmoil and sweltering in the soaring summer heat, have been enduring fuel shortages and power cuts of up to 18 hours a day even as their country sits atop Africa’s largest proven oil reserves.
Libya has been mired in chaos and repeated rounds of conflict since a NATO-backed uprising toppled and killed dictator Moamer Kadhafi in 2011.
In both the main eastern city of Benghazi — the cradle of the 2011 uprising — and the capital Tripoli, thousands took to the streets on Saturday, chanting “We want the lights to work”.
Some brandished the green flags of the former Kadhafi regime.
Calm appeared to have returned to Tobruk on Saturday, though there were calls on social media for more protests in the evening.
UN-mediated talks in Geneva this week aimed at breaking the deadlock between rival Libyan institutions failed to resolve key differences.
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