Over 140 Killed in Attack on Air Base in Libya

Clashes at an air base in Libya on Friday, May 19, resulted in the deaths of over 140 people. According to Reuters, a spokesman for the eastern Libyan armed forces announced that 141 people were killed in an attack on an air base in southern Libya, and the head of the UN-supported Libyan government has suspended the country's defense minister. The attack on the Brak al-Shati air base has led to the cancellation of a ceasefire agreement that had been in place between military groups in eastern and western Libya. This attack could lead to a series of battles between military factions based in eastern Libya and their rivals in the fragile coalition with the current government in the capital. Ahmed al-Mismari, spokesman for the Libyan National Army based in the east of the country, stated that 103 of the deceased were members of the National Army. He indicated that the attack was carried out by a brigade from the city of Misrata known as the 'Third Force.' Regional officials and the Libyan National Army have reported that there are also civilians among the dead. Human Rights Watch, citing eyewitness accounts, videos, and photos obtained from the clash, stated that the bodies of the Libyan National Army forces, who had been shot in the head, indicate that these individuals were executed. Martin Kobler, the UN representative for Libya, condemned the attack as brutal and called for it not to lead to further conflicts. Fayez al-Sarraj, head of the Government of National Accord in Libya, suspended the defense minister and the commander of the 'Third Force' until it is determined which side is responsible for the ceasefire violation. He also condemned the escalation of hostilities in the strongest terms and called for a ceasefire. Since the fall of former leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, Libya has been engulfed in chaos and instability. Control of eastern and western Libya is divided between two different groups, and several extremist Islamist groups, including the so-called Islamic State (ISIS), are active in Libya. The group controlling western Libya is recognized by several countries and the UN as the legitimate Libyan government.