Gunfire was reported in front of the National Assembly on 25 September. The Libyan daily Irassa subsequently reported that the National Army had intervened and dispersed a number of protesters who had fired weapons towards the assembly. The demonstrators were reported to have been opposed to the election of Mustafa Abu Shagur to the Prime Minister’s post. Rebel fighters were also reported to have attacked the Rixos hotel in Tripoli on 25 September. Security officials at the hotel reported that two people had been injured, but that hotel guards had repelled the attack. According to the report, the attack resulted from protests by a number rebel groups; one from Souq Al Jumaa, angry over a lack of support during recent fighting in Brak, a group from Misratah angry over the death of Omran Shaaban and an Islamist group protesting the election of Mustafa Abu Shagur.
On 26 September, the pan-Arab daily Al Sharq Al Awsat reported that the National Army sent forces to Brak, 81 km north of Sabha following recent clashes in the area between High Security Committee (HSC) forces and locals belonging to Libya’s second largest tribe, the Al Magariha. The clashes had resulted in several deaths. The report claimed that the violence had been brought to an end, but gave no further details.
On 26 September, Libya Al Youm reported that the ’First Brigade’ in Zawiya officially handed over a prison to the Ministry of Interior (MoI) and that a number of brigade members had also joined the MoI, citing this as the first instance of a brigade from Zawiya joining, albeit partially, state security forces.
On 28 September, Associated Press reported that the US Department of State (DoS) was further drawing down its staff at the US Embassy in Tripoli, due to ongoing security concerns. The reported cited a ‘senior official’ who stated that the reduction in personnel is expected to be only temporary. Other reports have also claimed that a number of US based companies have withdrawn staff from Tripoli and other areas of Libya ‘as a precaution’ following the widespread protests across a number of Muslim countries over the US made ‘fringe’ film Innocence of Muslims.
The Libya Herald reported that hundreds of militia members and private citizens turned out for the organized weapons amnesty in Tripoli’s Martyr’s Square on 29 September. A similar event took place in Benghazi on the same day. According to various reports, large numbers of small arms, anti-aircraft guns, explosives and ammunition were handed over to security forces. The event took place amongst a festive atmosphere to the sounds of a military marching band, pop music and a running commentary via megaphone of who had delivered what.