Libya’s leaders struggling to disarm fighters

RIVAL militias clashed on the outskirts of the Libyan capital for a fourth day yesterday in the most sustained violence since the capture and killing of Muammar Gaddafi last month.

The fighting, which has killed at least six people since late last week, raised new concerns about the ability of the interim government to disarm thousands of fighters and restore order after an eight-month civil war.

Libya’s interim leader, Mustafa Abdul-Jalil, said his National Transitional Council (NTC) brought together elders from the feuding areas — the city of Zawiya and the tribal lands of Warshefana — over the weekend and that the dispute has been resolved. “I want to assure the Libyan people that everything is under control,” he said.