Libya sacks defence minister after clashes

Libya's premier said Thursday he will replace his defence minister a day after fighting in Tripoli between groups of ex-rebels highlighted a lack of security nearly two years after dictator Muammar Gaddafi fell. Prime Minister Ali Zeidan said in a speech that the country's highest political authority, the General National Congress (GNC), had asked for Defence Minister Mohammed al-Barghathi's resignation. "Members of the Congress asked the defence minister to resign or leave office," Zeidan said. "The defence minister will be thanked and we are going to name a new minister," he said. Barghathi had already announced his resignation on May 7 before withdrawing it again just hours later at Zeidan's request. His resignation last month came after the GNC passed a law on May 5 banning officials who had served under Gaddafi from government jobs. That law could also affect Barghathi, who was an air force commander under the Gaddafi regime. Thursday's announcement came after clashes erupted between two ex-rebel groups in the Abu Slim area of Tripoli. On Wednesday, an armed group from the western city of Zintan attacked the Tripoli headquarters of another group to free five of their comrades who had been seized and were being held there. The Zintanis freed their colleagues and ransacked the building. Five people were killed in the fighting and another 97 wounded, the health ministry said. In addition to the violence that hit Tripoli, there were also lethal attacks elsewhere. Overnight, three car bombs exploded in Sebha, 700 kilometres (430 miles) south of the capital. Two people died and 17 were wounded in the blasts, which came at roughly half-hour intervals, officials said. And in Benghazi on Wednesday, an army officer was killed after a bomb placed in his official vehicle exploded.