On 19 January clashes erupted near the largely destroyed Tripoli International Airport in the south of the capital between the Special Deterrence Forces (a.k.a. RADA Force) and Misrata’s 111^th Brigade. They lasted several hours and resulted in the withdrawal of RADA Forces and the death of one member of the 111^th Brigade. The sound of light weapons and armoured vehicles caused locals to panic in the area. Since the most recent rounds of clashes around the airport, the 111^th Brigade — which was previously 301 Brigade and is led by Abdussalam al-Zoubi and nominally aligned with the GNU Defence Ministry — was given control of the area (Libya Politics & Security – 26.09.22). These clashes are territorial in nature and are linked to the potential reactivation of the Tripoli International Airport project which is set to eventually rehabilitate the wrecked airport.

The original aim behind the mobilisation of armed groups from Misrata in Tripoli was in fact to offset the power and influence of Abdulghani al-Kikli’s (a.k.a. Ghneiwa) Stability Support Apparatus (SSA). But, beyond just acting as a counter-balancing force, the Misratan factions at Tripoli’s gates are also somewhat politically engaged. On the one hand they are there to support the incumbent Government of National Unity (GNU) Prime Minister Abdelhamid Dbeibah. On the other, they are there to dissuade Tripoli-based militias from aligning themselves with attempted power grabs and especially by Khalifa Haftar’s Libyan Arab Armed Forces (LAAF) and his western Libyan allies including Fathi Bashagha. Misratan militias have historically been deployed to the capital in large numbers, ostensibly to provide security. Many were forced to temporarily leave following popular calls for their expulsion from the capital after the Gharghour massacre when 47 protestors were killed by Misratan militias in November 2013.

The SDF’s withdrawal was mediated by the 444^th Brigade and senior western militia leaders. The 444^th Brigade is led by Mahmoud Hamza and was technically created as the defence arm of the SDF which is affiliated with the Interior Ministry. This led many to believe that the attack on 111^th Brigade’s positions was a premeditated scheme to ultimately hand the area over to the 444^th Brigade in the same manner that many of Tripoli’s recently vacated SDF military camps were handed over to Tripolitanian armed groups. In any case, it is possible that clashes will resume in and around the airport in the coming weeks, given the current state of fragile security in the capital. Tripoli militias are attempting to reshuffle their positions and gain territory which will enable them to control more institutions. The purpose of these machinations is to gain leverage with the GNU and any successor government in Tripoli amid the political uncertainty.