Tension between Zintan town and residents of Wirshiffana region remained high on Saturday following the brutal killing of a local man from Zintan by Wirshiffana kidnap gangs.
Zintan military and municipal councils, in addition to the town’s social committee, urged Wirshiffana locals to stay away from Zintan territory in order to avoid violent reactions to the killing.
“Under any circumstances, all Wirshifana locals must not stay in Zintan territory in order not to face any problems that might happen due to the tense atmosphere caused by their criminals’ practices,” a tribal meeting in Zintan concluded.
Last week, Wirshiffana kidnap gangs shot dead a Zintani man and robbed his car. His relatives closed the mountain-Wirshiffana road in protest, demanding an end to criminal acts of Wirshiffana gangs.
Wirshiffana region lies on the Mediterranean just close to Tripoli's western outskirt of Janzour. It's under the control of so-called Tribes' Army. The region is still loyal to slain Gaddafi's regime. Abduction for ransom has become a flourishing business there.
Truck and taxi drivers are refusing to go there while residents of the western mountain towns, who used to pass through Wirshiffana to come to Tripoli, have redirected their route to a safer one.
