UN warns of rising tensions as armed groups mobilise in Tripoli PHOTO/VIDEO

On September 2, the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) expressed deep concern over new military movements by rival factions in the Libyan capital.

Officials say that armed vehicles have recently moved into Tripoli from Misrata, roughly 200 kilometres away, Caliber.Az reports per Arabic newspaper.

On September 1, residents heard gunfire in the city, according to eyewitness accounts and videos shared online.

UNSMIL said the recent "rapidly escalating tensions and military mobilisation" in Tripoli could lead to armed confrontation.

Sabiha Mohamad, a resident in western Tripoli, told AFP she had heard the gunshots but said "there was more fear than harm".

There have been no official reports of casualties, and it remains unclear which group fired the shots. "We stay cautious when going out, because anything could break out at any moment," Mohamad added.

Libya remains divided between the Tripoli-based Government of National Unity (GNU), led by Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah, and a rival administration in the east under Osama Hammad. The country has been split since a NATO-backed uprising ousted and killed longtime leader Moammar Gaddafi in 2011.

UNSMIL urged "all actors to cease any preparations for violence", warning that the tensions could escalate into a "'lose-lose' war".

In May, Tripoli experienced several days of deadly clashes between rival armed groups, leaving at least eight people dead, according to the UN. The fighting followed Dbeibah’s announcement of executive orders aimed at dismantling armed groups he said had "become stronger than the state".

Tensions have been particularly high between government-aligned forces and Radaa, a powerful faction controlling Mitiga airport and other areas in eastern Tripoli.

Last month, UNSMIL chief Hanna Tetteh proposed a roadmap for "general elections and the unification of institutions" in the divided country, aiming to create a "politically viable electoral framework" and "a new unified government", according to the UN.

By Aghakazim Guliyev