Tripoli - Clashes between rival Libyan factions east of Tripoli extended into a second day on Monday, keeping the coastal road shut and preventing residents from returning to their homes, a local town council spokesman said. The fighting began on Sunday when armed groups opposed to the U.N.-backed government in Tripoli tried to approach the capital and met resistance from rival groups that have aligned themselves with the government. It is the latest in a series of attacks by armed opponents of the Government of National Accord (GNA), which have continued despite the GNA's attempts to win the cooperation of militias operating in the city and to calm bouts of violence inside or close to the capital.
