Soldiers of Libyan Ministry of Defense position on Tripoli’s suburb on July 22, 2022. (Photo: AFP/VNA)

During clashes between supporters of two rival governments in Libya, both exchanged heavy gunfire, causing several large explosions around the city and damaging six hospitals in Tripoli.

The conflict sparks fears that a political crisis could spiral into a new large-scaled armed conflict in the North African country.

The Prime Minister of Libya's Government of National Unity (GNU), Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh, which is based in Tripoli, said the clashes broke out after negotiations to avoid bloodshed in the western city of Tripoli collapsed.

The UN mission in Libya called for an immediate cease-fire, and asked all parties in Libya to “refrain from using any form of hate speech and incitement to violence”, while the US Embassy in Libya expressed "deep concern" about the fighting.