The death of a prominent Libyan militia leader, long accused of severe abuses against migrants and suspected of committing crimes against humanity, has ignited violent clashes in Tripoli, leaving at least six people dead.

Abdel Ghani al-Kikli, popularly known as Gheniwa, who led the influential Stability Support Apparatus (SSA) militia based in the crowded Abu Salim district, was reportedly killed Monday night at the headquarters of the Libyan army’s 444th Combat Brigade, according to a security official who spoke to Al Wasat TV.

Kikli, seen as one of the most powerful militia chiefs in Tripoli, had recently been embroiled in confrontations with rival groups, including those connected to Misrata. The SSA operates under the authority of the Presidential Council, which was established in 2021 when Abdul Hamid Dbeibah’s Government of National Unity (GNU) assumed power via a UN-mediated process.

Gunfights erupted across Tripoli after the announcement of Kikli’s death, with shots ringing out in central districts and beyond.

Libya’s Emergency Medicine and Support Centre reported: “Six bodies were recovered from the conflict zones in and around Abu Salim.”

In response to the chaos, the interior ministry of the GNU advised residents to remain indoors “for their own protection.” This led to panicked scenes on the streets, where drivers raced through neighborhoods, honking in alarm.

A resident told Reuters: “I heard intense gunshots and saw bursts of red lights streaking across the sky.” Others described a night of tension and gunfire in communities such as Abu Salim and Salah Eddin.

The United Nations mission in Libya urged all groups involved to “cease hostilities at once and return to calm,” stressing the need to safeguard civilians. “Strikes targeting civilians or civilian infrastructure may constitute war crimes,” it warned.

Kikli’s SSA has been repeatedly accused of brutalizing detainees in Libya’s migrant detention network. Amnesty International and the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR) have condemned the group’s role in systemic abuse. A December 2024 report by the UN’s panel of experts described Kikli as an essential player in Libya’s power dynamics, involved in militia funding through alleged corruption.

Leading the SSA, Kikli faced accusations including extrajudicial executions, torture, and grave violations of human rights. His name appeared in a 189-page ECCHR complaint filed with the International Criminal Court in 2022, identifying him as a possible joint perpetrator of crimes against humanity involving the organized mistreatment of migrants and asylum seekers.

In a 2022 statement, Diana Eltahawy, Amnesty International’s deputy regional director for the Middle East and North Africa, said: “It is hardly surprising that al-Kikli’s militia has again been implicated in horrific abuses — whether directed at refugees or Libyans. For more than ten years, forces under his command have plagued the Abu Salim area with kidnappings, torture, unlawful killings, and other violations of international law. He must be investigated and, where evidence permits, prosecuted in a fair court of law.”

Earlier this year in March, an activist shared a photo on X showing Kikli in Rome at a European hospital visiting Adel Juma, a GNU minister undergoing treatment following a February 12 attack in Tripoli.

Libya remains a pivotal crossing point for migrants seeking to reach Europe. Rights groups have long reported how vulnerable travelers are exploited by militias and human traffickers. Many sub-Saharan African migrants are detained indefinitely in overcrowded facilities where abuse and torture are common.

The oil-rich North African nation has seen little peace since the NATO-supported uprising of 2011. By 2014, the country had descended into division, with competing eastern and western factions vying for power. While heavy fighting subsided with a 2020 truce, continued efforts to resolve Libya’s political deadlock have faltered, and internal armed conflicts still erupt as rivals seek dominance over the nation’s vast economic assets.

Reporting contributed by Reuters.