Calm has descended on southern Tripoli on Thursday morning after armed clashes Wednesday night between two security forces affiliated with the Government of National Unity (GNU).

A local source said that the clashes continued for hours in the Qasr Benghashir area between GNU's Anti-Terrorism Deterrence Apparatus and the 111th Brigade.

The source added that the clashes erupted after the Deterrence Apparatus attempted to raid Tripoli International Airport, where the 111th Brigade forces are stationed, with an official mandate from the GNU, without mentioning whether the Deterrence Apparatus entered with an official mandate or not, especially after permitting Turkish and Italian companies to officially start the operation, and building the airport that was destroyed in 2014.

The source, who preferred to remain unnamed, confirmed that three members of the Deterrence Apparatus were killed, in addition to the serious injury to one of its leaders, adding that the forces of the 444th Brigade which are affiliated with the Chief of General Staff intervened to resolve the conflict and was deployed as a neutral force.

The mayor of Qasr Benghashir confirmed in a press statement that calm prevailed in the municipality, with no human or material damage as a result of the clashes. The GNU has not issued any statement so far about the reasons for the clashes.