Libya Floods Poor Response Condemned... First Large-Scale Anti-Government Protests

A large-scale anti-government protest condemning the government's inadequate response was held for the first time in Derna, northeastern Libya, where at least thousands of people were killed in the great flood disaster.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Thousands of Derna residents gathered in front of the landmark Sabha Mosque on the 18th (local time) to denounce the incompetent government and demand punishment for those responsible.

Protesters especially criticized Aguila Saleh, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the parliament, chanting slogans such as "Execute the thieves and traitors."

Some residents set fire to the house of Derna's mayor, Al-Ghaiti, that evening.

In a statement, the residents urged the authorities to conduct a swift investigation into the disaster and punish those responsible, and called on the United Nations to support reconstruction efforts and compensation for the Derna region.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.