Libya PM's Office Set Ablaze After Football Match Triggers Violence

(MENAFN) A fire tore through the Libyan prime minister's office compound in Tripoli Thursday evening as violence ignited by a disputed football match in Tarhuna, southeast of the capital, rapidly spiraled out of control, local media reported.

The unrest was triggered during a match between Al-Ittihad and Al-Suwaihli at Tarhuna Stadium, when Al-Ittihad players protested a referee's decision to deny them a penalty kick. The dispute quickly turned volatile as enraged supporters stormed the pitch, sending tensions soaring.

Chaos spread swiftly inside the stadium. Players were assaulted by the encroaching crowds, while a broadcasting vehicle belonging to Libya Sport TV and several security vehicles parked at the venue were set ablaze, reports said.

Members of the 444 Brigade moved in to quell the disorder, deploying live ammunition to disperse the crowds. The intervention came at a cost — one soldier was killed and seven others wounded in an exchange of gunfire, according to local media.

The violence then spilled into multiple areas across the capital, accompanied by widespread reports of gunfire and a heavy security presence. Protesters set fire to sections of the prime minister's office in Tripoli, prompting authorities to deploy security and military forces around government buildings and key roads in a bid to contain the situation.

Libyan authorities have yet to release an official statement addressing the incidents, the fire, or the identity of those responsible for the arson.

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