A Monkey's Mischief Sparks Tribal Warfare in Libya

According to a health official in Sebha, southern Libya, at least 16 people have been killed and 50 others injured during armed clashes between two tribes. Residents of Sebha and local media reports indicate that the clashes erupted after a monkey belonging to a shopkeeper from the Qadhafi tribe attacked a group of schoolgirls passing by on the street. Residents told Reuters that the monkey snatched the headscarves of some girls, prompting men from the Awlad Suleiman tribe to retaliate by killing three members of the Qadhafi tribe and the monkey. Reuters has been unable to obtain details about the clashes from responsible officials. A Sebha resident, who requested anonymity due to security sensitivities, told Reuters: 'The second and third days of the clashes intensified, and both sides used tanks, mortars, and other heavy weapons. Sporadic clashes continue, and the lives of people in these areas have been completely disrupted.' Since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi's regime five years ago, Sebha, like most areas of Libya, has experienced unrest and armed conflicts. The Sebha region is a major hub for migrants from African countries and arms trafficking in Libya. Militant groups exert pressure on local residents, and the living conditions for ordinary people are extremely difficult. The Qadhafi and Awlad Suleiman tribes are the strongest militia groups in the area. According to local residents, attempts by elders and tribal leaders to stop the clashes, which primarily occurred in the city center, and to collect the bodies of victims and the injured have failed. A spokesperson for the Sebha medical center stated that by Sunday, the bodies of 16 victims and about 50 injured individuals had been transferred to the hospital. The spokesperson added, 'Due to indiscriminate gunfire, several women and children have also been injured, and several migrants from African countries are among the dead.' Sebha is located 660 kilometers south of Tripoli.