Libya's capital was quiet early on Sunday, a day after the worst fighting there for two years killed 32 people and injured 159 as forces aligned with a parliament-backed administration failed to dislodge the Tripoli-based government.
Roads in the city were busy with motorists, shops were open and people were clearing away smashed glass and other debris from Saturday's violence, with burned out vehicles lining some streets in central Tripoli.
Fighting had erupted on Saturday and intensified through the day, with small-arms fire, heavy machine guns and mortars deployed in central areas.
Columns of black smoke rose across the Tripoli skyline and shooting and blasts echoed in the air.
The health ministry said on Sunday that 32 people were killed in Saturday's violence and 159 were injured, up from a ministry source's previous estimate of 23 deaths and 87 injured.
Earlier the ministry said that 64 families had been evacuated from areas around the fighting.
Fears of war returning to region
Sustained fighting in the city over the control of government would likely plunge Libya back into full-blown war after two years of comparative peace that brought an abortive political process aimed at holding national elections.
The oil-rich nation plunged into chaos following a NATO-backed uprising that toppled and killed longtime autocrat Moammar Gaddafi in 2011.
Among the fatalities was Mustafa Baraka, a comedian known for his social media videos mocking militias and corruption.
Mr Baraka died after he was shot in the chest, according to Malek Merset, an emergency services spokesman.
Mr Merset said emergency services were still trying to evacuate wounded and civilians trapped in the fighting that erupted overnight and continued into Saturday.
The Health Ministry said in a statement hospitals and medical centres in the capital were shelled, and ambulance teams were barred from evacuating civilians, in acts that "amount to war crimes".
The municipal council of Tripoli blamed the ruling political class for the deteriorating situation in the capital, and urged the international community to "protect civilians in Libya".
The violence caused widespread panic among Tripoli residents. Footage circulated online showed burned-out cars and buildings riddled with bullet holes, as well as a mosque on fire.
Other footage showed damage to houses and government facilities, militia forces deploying and heavy fire being exchanged across the night sky.
The UN mission in Libya said the fighting involved "indiscriminate medium and heavy shelling in civilian-populated neighbourhoods" of Tripoli.
The mission called for an immediate ceasefire, and for all parties in Libya to "refrain from using any form of hate speech and incitement to violence".
Libya's rival governments vie for power
The stand-off for power in Libya has pitted the Tripoli-based Government of National Unity (GNU) under Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah against a rival administration under Fathi Bashagha that is backed by the eastern-based parliament and military strongman Khalifa Haftar.
Both Mr Dbeibah and Mr Bashagha are backed by militias.
Forces aligned with Mr Bashagha tried to take territory in Tripoli from several directions on Saturday.
It was his second attempt to take over in Tripoli to install a new government in the capital since he last tried in May.
In Janzour in north-west Tripoli, a main access point for some pro-Bashagha forces, local people reported intense clashes.
To the south of Tripoli, witnesses in the Abu Salim district said there was heavy shooting, while an eyewitness said a main convoy of more than 300 vehicles affiliated with Mr Bashagha had set off towards Tripoli from the north-east.
Eyewitnesses said it had since returned to its base in Misrata.
Turkey, which has a military presence around Tripoli and helped forces in the city fight off an eastern assault in 2020 with drone strikes, called for an immediate ceasefire and said "we continue to stand by our Libyan brothers".
Mr Dbeibah's government was installed as part of a United Nations-led peace process following a previous round of violence.
Despite powerful backing from the East, Mr Bashagha has so far been unable to take office in Tripoli, as Mr Dbeibah has insisted on only handing power to an elected government.
An attempt in May by Mr Bashagha to install his government in Tripoli triggered clashes that ended with his withdrawal from the capital.
Mr Dbeibah's GNU said negotiations had been underway to "hold elections at the end of the year to resolve the political crisis", but that Mr Bashagha had "walked out at the last moment".
Mr Bashagha denied such talks had taken place, and accused Mr Dbeibah's "illegitimate" administration of "clinging to power".
US Ambassador to Libya Richard Norland urged for de-escalation "before things get worse" and for Libyan parties to agree on an early date for elections.
ABC/wires
