A highly anticipated derby clash in Libya between Al Ahli Tripoli and Al Ittihad was abandoned on Wednesday night following alarming scenes of violence and unrest in the capital.
The game, staged in Tripoli and intended to be played behind closed doors, was called off late in the first half after Al Ittihad’s team bus was set ablaze and fans stormed the pitch. At the time of abandonment, Al Ittihad were leading 1-0.
Trouble erupted when a group of individuals breached stadium security, infiltrating the stands with flares. Hundreds of fans suddenly appeared in the upper tiers and began descending toward the pitch, ultimately invading the field and forcing players—particularly from Al Ittihad—to flee to the dressing rooms or seek refuge in the stands.
As the disorder intensified, the referee had no choice but to halt the match. Outside the stadium, violence escalated further with the away team’s bus torched and security forces—linked to the government—coming under attack from rioters. Military personnel were reportedly forced to fire warning shots to disperse the increasingly volatile crowd.
The incident comes amid a backdrop of nationwide political unrest. Protests have been mounting across Libya, calling for Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah to resign. Demonstrators accuse him of corruption and of enabling the unchecked rise of armed groups throughout the country.
The recent clashes in Tripoli, which began over the weekend, have reportedly claimed the lives of at least eight civilians and one police officer.
Several government ministers have since resigned, further underscoring the severity of Libya’s deepening political crisis.
The Libyan Football Federation has yet to issue an official response to the abandonment, once again drawing attention to the persistent security issues plaguing football in the North African nation.
