Dramatic video captures fighting between rival militias around airport 2015145 AP TELEVISION Tripoli - 26 July 2014 ++CLIENTS NOTE: VIDEO OBTAINED BY AP FROM FREELANCER TRAVELLING WITH MISRATA BRIGADE FIGHTERS++ 1. Plane burning on tarmac of Tripoli International Airport 2. the Islamic 'Misrata Brigade' militias firing towards airport, rockets launched past fighters 3. Tank firing towards airport 4. Various of militias behind wall, firing towards airport 5. the Islamic 'Misrata Brigade' militias firing towards airport, rockets launched past fighters Inaugural meeting of new parliament, dominated by opponents of Islamists 2016427 AP TELEVISION Tobruk - 4 Aug 2014 6. Various of members of Libya's House of Representatives and members of the General National Congress standing for the national anthem 7. Banner with logo reading: (Arabic/English) "Libyan House of Representatives" 8. Libyan House of Representatives and members of the General National Congress Dramatic cover of clashes between rival militia in tense capital 2017940 AP TELEVISION Tripoli - 13 Aug 2014 9. Shield fighter (Misrata Brigades) holding machinegun and anti-aircraft machinegun firing in background, AUDIO: gunfire 10. Man firing 105 cannon artillery, AUDIO: gunfire 11. Fighter holding rocket propelled grenade running across street 12. Man firing 105 cannon artillery, debris and smoke rising, AUDIO: gunfire Rival militias engage in prolonged gun battle 2018365 AP TELEVISION Tripoli - 15 Aug 2014 13. Shields brigade fighter launches rocket-propelled grenade (RPG), camera pans right 14. RPG hitting armoured truck belonging to Zintan brigades STORYLINE: Dramatic footage obtained by The Associated Press on Sunday showed rival Libyan militia continue a violent battle for control of the capital's international airport on July 26th 2014. A large airplane was destroyed in the violence, the remains of which sat on the tarmac belching black smoke into the air. The footage was provided to the AP by a freelancer travelling with militia from the city of Misrata, east of Tripoli. The Islamic militias have been battling a powerful militia from the western city of Zintan, which controls the airport, since earlier tin July. The rival militias have forced a week long closure of petrol stations and government offices. In recent days, armed men have attacked vehicles carrying money from the Central Bank to local banks, forcing their closure as well. On July 26th, the United States suspended diplomatic activities at its embassy in Libya and moved its diplomats to neighbouring Tunisia as the fighting intensified. Turkey has also suspended operations and evacuated its diplomatic mission in Libya. *** Opponents of Islamists dominated the key inaugural session of Libya's new parliament on August 4th, underscoring the decisive defeat suffered in recent elections by factions of political Islam who previously led a majority. In the weeks leading up the session, Islamic militias - armed wings of Islamic factions and cities' allied to them like Misrata - launched a violent offensive, battling with rivals in the capital Tripoli and overwhelming much of the country's second largest city, Benghazi. Opponents accuse Islamists of pushing the country closer to a civil war to make up for their election losses. Islamists say they are battling remnants of the old regime of Moammar Gadhafi. Though the winners of the June election were known, the extent of the Islamists' setback had been unclear until now, since lawmakers ran as independents and their party affiliations were not known. August 4th's opening session showed just how much they had lost. An Associated Press reporter at the scene saw a total of 144 deputies take an oath of office. *** *** You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/5df0715eb93b474aaa8bbb73513ac62c Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork

• published: 03 Aug 2015
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