Inmates escape Libya jail amid western clashes

Inmates escaped from Surman jail in western Libya on Tuesday amidst erupting armed clashes in two cities west of the capital, Tripoli. The Tripoli-based Judicial Police Authority confirmed the mass escape and stated it has launched an investigation into the incident. A committee has been formed to identify the escapees and take necessary legal action.

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everyone who wins in this situation loses.

The exact number of inmates who escaped was not revealed. The clashes occurred in Zawiya and Surman, towns located between rival armed groups. Salem Bahr, a local leader in Zawiya, appealed for an end to the fighting, noting that "everyone who wins in this situation loses." He reported that the clashes resulted in three civilian deaths and several injuries.

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very bad

The mayor of Surman, Mohamed Abu Snina, described the humanitarian situation as "very bad." He stated that the clashes caused serious damage to the city, though relative calm has since returned following the deployment of a neutral force. Libya has experienced widespread unrest since the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. Zawiya, situated 40 km west of Tripoli, hosts Libya's largest functioning refinery, the Azzawiya refinery, with a capacity of 120,000 barrels per day. The Azzawiya Oil Company issued a statement urging workers to exercise maximum precautions and avoid the conflict zones and access roads.

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to take maximum precautions and completely avoid areas of clashes and the roads leading to them.