[An Nahar] At least 12 people were killed and 16 maimed when two groups of fighters opposed to Moammar Qadaffy...whose instability has been an inspiration to dictators everywhere...
turned on each other in Libya's west, two officials said on Sunday.
The fighting, which has its roots in ancient rivalries and pitted combatants from the towns of Gharyan and Kikla on the one side and from Asabah on the other,
| One hopes it's not still about the four colours of chariot teams in Constantinople... |
The towns are on the eastern edge of the Nafusa mountains and were important centers of resistance to Qadaffy's forces in months of fighting to oust the strongman.
"Twelve people were killed and 16 others were maimed during the fighting which erupted when a brigade from Gharyan and Kikla came under fire at the town of Asabah," said Gharyan council head Wahid Barshan.
He added that the brigade had been ambushed "after demanding the return of their heavy weapons" left behind during fighting against Qadaffy's forces.
The toll and the version of events was confirmed by the chairman of the Asabah military council, Saad al-Shartaa.
Traditionally, many people in Asabah were Qadaffy supporters, and according to the two officials, 20 of his fighters were captured during Saturday's fighting.
Shartaa said efforts had been made "to contain the situation" and that Libya's new ruling National Transitional Council had intervened in a bid to calm passions.
He said the origin of the feuding lies in the fact that Asabah is the hometown of Qadaffy's one-time right-hand man, Ahmed Ramadan.