Sunday, April 28

Gunmen Surround Libyan Foreign Ministry

 


Witnesses in the Libyan capital, Tripoli, reported that at least 20 trucks loaded with anti-aircraft guns blocked the roads on Sunday, with about 200 gunmen armed with AK-47s and sniper rifles surrounding Libyan foreign ministry in order to push demands that former workers of deposed leader Muammar Gaddafi be banned from senior positions in the new administration.

Since a campaign was launched to break the militias from their strongholds in the capital, there has been rising tension between the government and the groups in recent weeks.

The commander of the group told Reuters news agency, ‘the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will remain closed until the political isolation law (against ex-Gaddafi officials) is implemented.’

He also added that the foreign ministry had been targeted because some officials employed there had worked for Gaddafi.

Sunday’s protest was simply to demand a law be passed banning officials who had worked for Gaddafi from occupying senior positions in the government.

At the moment, the General National Congress, which is Libya’s highest political authority, is studying the proposals; this implies that the legislation is under discussion, but has yet to be approved.

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