Around 12 people have been killed and 10 wounded in a flare-up of clashes between rival armed groups near the Libyan capital Tripoli, a doctor said yesterday.

The North African country is in turmoil as former rebels who helped oust Muammar Gaddafi in a Nato-backed uprising three years ago have turned their guns on each other in a bid to dominate politics and get a share of the country’s oil reserves.

An alliance of armed groups called Operation Dawn, mainly from the western city of Misurata, seized the capital Tripoli last month after expelling a rival group from Zintan.Tripoli has been largely quiet since then but fighters from the Operation Dawn have been trying to capture the tribal Warshefana area southwest of the city, residents said. The Warshefana are allied to the Zintani forces.

Gunfire could be heard from Libyan capital yesterday

Residents reported heavy shelling in the city on Saturday, which was confirmed by British Ambassador Michael Aron.

“City is quiet. Families out on seafront last night. But shelling of Warshefana areas clearly heard,” Aron tweeted during a visit to Tripoli on Saturday. A hospital doctor said around 12 people were killed and 10 wounded in the shelling of Warshefana residential areas. He said gunfire could still be heard yesterday, although it was not as heavy as the day before.

Western diplomats and the UN have pulled out of Libya to escape the violence. The weak government and the country’s elected Parliament have moved to Tobruk in the east. Western powers worry the oil producer will turn into a failed State as the government has no real army to tackle dozens of armed groups roaming around the country unchallenged.