Intense fighting erupted in the Libyan capital overnight and lasted into Saturday morning, with rival factions exchanging heavy gunfire and the sounds of several loud blasts ricocheting around the city. The clashes took place in Tripoli’s city centre after one of the capital’s strongest groups assaulted the base of a rival force, witnesses said, leading to hours of shooting that terrified locals and raised fears of a wider escalation. It was not clear whether the fighting was directly linked to Libya’s wider political standoff over control of the government, but any clashes between powerful Tripoli groups could risk drawing in other factions. “This is horrible. My family and I could not sleep because of the clashes. The sound was too loud and too frightening,” said Abdulmenam Salem, a central Tripoli resident. “We stayed awake in case we had to leave quickly. It’s a terrible […]