Gatroon area in the far southwest of Libya is witnessing a state of cautious calm after the temporary cessation of violent clashes that took place on Wednesday between an armed faction affiliated with the 128th Brigade, which Haftar recently dissolved, and a battalion affiliated with Saddam, Haftar's son.
The clashes came within the framework of Haftar's leadership's efforts to dismantle the groups of the 128th Brigade, which had been previously dissolved and its commander Colonel Hassan Al-Zadma dismissed; as the armed faction affiliated with the brigade refused the instructions of Haftar's leadership to hand over its weapons and headquarters in the Al-Bakhi neighborhood located south of Gatroon, according to sources from the region.
The sources explained that the 87th Battalion affiliated with Saddam Haftar raided the Al-Bakhi neighborhood to control the headquarters of the armed faction before the circle of clashes expanded and included large parts of Gatroon for several hours, ending with the withdrawal of the faction and the control of the 87th Battalion on Wednesday night.
The sources said that the armed faction affiliated with the 128th Brigade includes fighters affiliated with a Chadian rebel movement in addition to militants from the Tebu tribes, and they have been controlling the area for a long time in favor of Haftar.
While Haftar's command did not announce any operation in Gatroon, activists in the area circulated on social media footage showing clashes using medium and heavy weapons in Gatroon, in addition to showing military vehicles burned as a result of the clashes.
The Social Council of Tebu Dignataries in Libya published a video statement, in which it announced disavowing those it described as "immigrant gangs" in Gatroon, without any mention of the clashes that took place in the area. The council's statement called on Haftar's command to visit the area to see the living conditions there, extend development and reconstruction projects, and provide fuel and services for the citizen.
