The Ministry of Interior of Libya's Government of National Unity, in a statement carried by the country's official news agency, called on "all citizens in the Tripoli area to remain in their homes and not venture out, for their own safety."
The Libyan Ministry of Education clarified in a statement that, "Based on the notice issued by the Ministry of Interior, and in light of the current security situation in Tripoli, and out of concern for the safety of our students, faculty and staff, the ministry has decided to suspend classes and exams on Tuesday."
In a statement, the Ministry of Health of the Libyan Government of National Unity called on "all hospitals, medical centers, and relevant agencies in the capital, Tripoli, and its surrounding areas, to raise their level of preparedness and ensure maximum readiness to deal with any emergency situations."
The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) said in a statement on Monday that it is "closely monitoring reports of military movements and escalating tensions in Tripoli and the western region in general."
The mission called on "all parties to urgently de-escalate, refrain from any provocative actions, and work to resolve differences through dialogue."
The US Embassy in Libya also joined the UN mission's call, calling for "calm" in a post on the X platform, citing "reports of escalating tensions in Tripoli."
Tripoli has witnessed clashes and an unstable security situation, according to these reports and local media. The clashes are concentrated in the Salah al-Din and Abu Salim districts of the capital.
Local media, including Libya Al-Ahrar TV, reported "continued sporadic gunfire in the capital, Tripoli, following reports of the death of the head of the Stability Support Apparatus, Abdul Ghani Al-Kikli." Meanwhile, reports indicated that the 444th Combat Brigade, affiliated with the Ministry of Defense, was the party engaged in clashes with the Apparatus' forces.
Libya has been plagued by intermittent security issues amid an ongoing political division since 2022, with two governments vying for power. The first is the UN-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA), headed by Abdel Hamid Dbeibah, based in Tripoli, from which it governs the entire western part of the country.
The second is the government of Osama Hamad, appointed by the House of Representatives, based in Benghazi, which governs the entire east of the country and cities in the south.
For years, UN-sponsored efforts to hold parliamentary and presidential elections, which Libyans hope will lead to the transfer of power to a single government and end the armed conflict that has plagued their oil-rich country, have faltered
