Libya authorities 'to disarm Tripoli by 31 December'

[frigidmagi]

bbc

The head of Tripoli's council has said residents of the Libyan capital have until the end of the month to hand over their weapons to the authorities.

Abdul Rafik Bu Hajjar said he had been assured by the interim government that the entire city would be disarmed.

Brigades of revolutionary fighters from outside the capital would leave by 20 December, and the Tripoli brigade would be dissolved on 31 December, he added.

Earlier, residents blocked main roads in protest at their continued presence.

The capital was seized by forces loyal to the National Transitional Council (NTC) in August, triggering the downfall of Col Muammar Gaddafi's regime. Since then, however, rival groups of fighters have clashed repeatedly.

On Sunday, a former rebel was killed in Tripoli in a shootout with members of a brigade of fighters who were seeking the release of a comrade held by the security services on suspicion of murder.

Witnesses said they also forced their way into Tripoli's main courthouse and the office of Libya's attorney-general, Abdul Aziz al-Hasadi.

Mr Bu Hajjar said all armed individuals would have to join security forces under the ministries of defence or interior, or "return to civilian lives".

He also told the AFP news agency that there would be a rally in Tripoli's Martyr's Square on Wednesday "to denounce the presence of arms".

Without the common enemy breathing down their necks, the rebels are starting to factionalize. Which is okay! Factions are a part of democratic society (just don't let it get out of control... GOP looking at you). What is not okay is each faction having it's own armed band. So disarming must begin, because that way it's more likely that future political disagreements can be fought with words... Not bullets.

[rhoenix]

This is actually very encouraging to see. The controlled chaos and mess that is a proper democracy is now beginning to show signs - and that most of the factions are okay with the changes speaks very well for them.

Libya might be a very interesting country in a decade or so.

[Charon]

Oh the next decade is going to be fascinating to watch in the Middle East in general.

For Libya itself, it's very encouraging that they seem to be putting the guns away. A big threat for awhile was that the Civil War was going to turn Reign of Terror after the fighting was done.