Islamist militias swept out of bases in Libya

[Chris]

BENGHAZI, Libya, Sept 22 (Reuters) - The two main Islamist militias in Derna, a city in eastern Libya known as an Islamist stronghold, withdrew from their five bases on Saturday and announced they were disbanding, residents said, a day after a militia was driven out of Benghazi.

The Abu Slim and Ansar al-Sharia militias' announcements were apparently motivated by events in Benghazi, where Ansar al-Sharia, a group linked with last week's deadly attack on the U.S. consulate, withdrew from all its bases in the city late on Friday amid mass demonstrations in support of the government.

UPDATE 7-Libyan Islamist militia swept out of bases | Reuters

 

[Clementine]

I am glad to see this because it shows the people of Libya are against the radical groups responsible for the violence. It does demonstrate how weak the new leadership is because they claim that police can't protect their people and they don't want to get rid of the militias right now. People are getting riled and directing their anger toward those responsible for the recent attacks. I think they are sending a message that they want peace and cannot tolerate any more violence. Authorities don't have a handle on anything and I wonder exactly who or what they think the militias will protect the people from.

Anti-militia protests show frailty of Libyan state - Yahoo! News